Resilience of the Soul
by Velf
Summary: The saga continues. With her mating to Haku rapidly approaching, Chihiro has a number of new problems to face. But these are nothing compared to the plans a new foe has for her. Sequel to Enchantment of the Heart.
1. New Beginnings

**It's MEEEEE! I'm back and I'm pleased to be so. Yes this is on the short side but it's a start. Trust me when I say there is MUCH more to come and I will try and update in a timely fashion. This is just a little taster of what's to come, so can you stop sending me the death threats now? **

**Disclaimer- I don't own spirited away. But I have shamelessly taken those characters and made them mine. Does anyone mind? No? Good. **

**Resilience of the Soul **

_**New Beginnings**_

Kenshin walked through the halls of his desert fortress. In a few days his intricate and fragile plan would be implemented. It would possibly set in motion the wheels of fate and have them turn and labour against him. For the Human's sake he hoped that this could be avoided. He hoped that she was not the one of prophecy and when things started to deteriorate she would retreat, perhaps living her life quietly in exile? It was a vain hope and he knew it. To achieve his goals he would have to eliminate the instrument of fate. Not kill her of course, that was not necessary. No, he needed to break her resolve before she ever decided to face him, even before she knew what her purpose was. He could not afford to take chances but Kenshin had learned a long time ago that even enemies were of some use alive. Besides, he had seen enough bloodshed to last 10,000 life times.

His footsteps echoed down the dark featureless halls. He liked this fortress; he had lived on the plain for some time but found his proximity to so many spirits more and more irksome. So he decided to live permanently within his bonded realm. He had built the fortress during yet another war. His 7th or 8th perhaps. The Gods had once again demanded he take sides, he had chosen badly and paid dearly. But what was one more prison to him? One more endless task of attrition? He always escaped eventually, time and pressure was all it took and he always had time on his side.

He had rebuilt the fortress when Yubaba had found him. He had been shocked at the destruction a thousand years and the desert sand had worked on his home. It had not even been a ruin, just a few walls left to represent rooms and little else. Many sand dunes had passed this way during his sleep. His repelling spell had long since worn off and the sand-mountains had invaded and etched their secrets upon the stone.

Now his home was bigger and better more suited to what he was; the desert wind, arid, scorching and merciless. But he had taken corporal form many times over his long life; the experiences in this body eased the burden of eternity. Basically, he bored easily; after all he had practically seen and done everything that had ever interested him. The crushing apathy was lessened in this form. He had once spent 300 years in his buzzard form, simply travelling the spirit world wherever the warm wind blew. He had been to the colder areas of course but disliked being cold and wet; it irritated him.

But in all his long years he had discovered a simple truth; nothing ever changed. Societies rose and fell, and spirits lived and died. True immortality was only ever bestowed on those strong enough to grasp it. Few spirits reached the 70,000 mark; their homes were destroyed; they died in wars or they chose to die when they felt the time was right. Kenshin was nearly 100,000 years old; he was a true immortal and he knew that nothing ever changed.

Now, however, through Yubaba seeking him out for her own puerile reasons, he could have the power to change the entire spirit world for the better. The old ones would no doubt object but he cared little. They could not interfere; their time was over. Their governorship of the spirit world had failed as far as he was concerned. It was unfortunate that the girl was caught up in this and he had some sympathy for the dragon too. Kohaku was an arrogant fool but he was harmless, far too fond of his human to be any real trouble. Kenshin had to admit they were equal in power but he had many more years of experience on his side.

He shook his head slightly; he had to focus on the task in hand and the wonders he could achieve. He smiled to himself as he stepped into the harsh sunlight. Yubaba could have a dozen bathhouses if she so wished. He would have worlds at his feet and he would finally bring order to chaos.

* * *

It was early; Chihiro knew it as soon as she opened her eyes. No sun even attempted to pierce the drapes; only the low glow of the embers in the grate illuminated the room. She thought about getting up; she had slept badly for the last few nights and was tired but seemed unable to find rest. She knew what was robbing her of her sleep. Her parents would probably arrive any day now. Contact between them was still one-way; Haku was strong but not that strong. He had however sent them a method of contacting Chihiro in the event of an emergency. The effort he expended resulted in a 4-day headache for him, which did nothing to improve his mood. Were all males so infantile when it came to illness? Chihiro could not be sure.

One thing was almost certain, Haku and her farther would meet soon. On midwinter's day she would be taking her vows to be a dragon's mate and surrendering her soul. Her Daddy would love that part of the arrangement. She stuck her foot out of the bed and shuddered. With midwinter under a week away the temperature was getting low. Of course they still had the odd warm day, this was the spirit world after all and the weather was nothing if unpredictable, however, Chihiro secretly hoped to have snow on the day of her mating.

"You would not be thinking of getting up would you?" asked a sleepy voice. Chihiro turned over and gazed into the slightly bloodshot, but none the less exquisite emerald depth of her intended's eyes. "You've tossed and turned all night; it would be a shame for you to leave now and actually allow me some undisturbed sleep," drawled the dragon sarcastically.

Chihiro glared at him balefully, but could not help a smile tugging at her lips. She was still amazed on occasion that she could kiss and touch him whenever she wished. She could hardly believe she was going to be the mate of someone with such pale, perfect skin, such satiny black hair which shone green in the firelight and a body that made her want to melt every time she was close to him. Such a person should be way out of her league, and yet she was sure he loved her utterly and completely. She had as of yet to figure out why, but she was not about to question her good fortune.

Still, he could be annoying at times, like right at that moment. She was annoyed at herself for being unable to keep a straight face. She really was in no mood for his cutting sense of humour.

"If you'd rather have me move back into my old room, Haku, just say so," she grumbled, shifting her body against his as if to remind him of exactly what he would be missing.

"You know you can't move back," he mumbled.

"Why?" she enquired sharply. His arm slipped around her and pulled her closer. His embrace was comforting and Chihiro had to force herself to resist the urge to nuzzle into his neck. She even managed to ignore it when he started stroking her hair.

"You can't go back because I won't let you. With the exception of these last few nights I actually can't sleep properly unless you are in my bed. I'm pathetic, I know, but there it is." He kissed her temple gently. "Sleep deprivation is classed as torture little one, you don't want to torture me do you?"

"Then stop teasing me, it's not my fault I can't sleep," she murmured. She felt rather than heard a chuckle bubble up from his chest.

"I do apologise, I should not bait you when you're feeling vulnerable."

She pulled a face at him and then gave into her feminine side by resting her face in the hollow of his neck. He held her more tightly and she sighed, finally relaxing in the shelter of his arms.

"I know you are worried about the mating and your parents but it will all turn out well. Everything is arranged, the midwinter festival was going to happen anyway, and our mating will just be added to the proceedings. All you have to do is show up and say the right things in the right places." He chuckled again and kissed the top of her head. "As a rule just say "yes" to everything you are asked." Chihiro smiled against his throat; he smelled so good.

"And what about Dad?" she mumbled. "He will be none too pleased to see you when he gets here. If he saw that picture Meeka sent he is bound to come and then he will be out for your blood." She snuggled closer, slipping her legs between his so she could warm the soles of her feet on his calves. He gave a low, slightly peeved growl in protest at her chilly feet, but he did not move away from her. "You corrupted his only child and he will be looking for someone to dump his guilt on for thinking I was mad for all those years." Haku merely shrugged.

"I'll be on my best behaviour; if he insults me I'll only turn him into a llama."

"Haku," Chihiro muttered against him in a warning tone. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"It will be difficult for me; he has caused you to feel a significant amount of pain with his constant pig headedness. I have urged you to maintain links with your parents hoping they would come around. I had no idea your father would be this stubborn. Now, through his own blindness, his daughter is giving herself to someone he does not know. I pity him but I also think he is an idiot." Chihiro had never heard Haku speak so of her father and was suddenly more worried about their meeting than she was about her mating. Haku sensed her deepening anxiety.

"Don't worry Chihiro, I'll be civil even if he does not extend the same courtesy to me." That made her feel a little better. "Stop fretting," he whispered, "and get some rest; it's far too early to be having deep and meaningful conversations."

Chihiro burrowed under the covers and wiggled around until she was facing away from him but still had his reassuring presence at her back.

"Sleep little one," he whispered, his voice sounding coaxing, warm and seductive. Her eyelids felt immediately heavier and her breathing slowed. "That's it," he mumbled into her hair. "Just forget everything and drift away."

"Haku?" she whispered.

"Yes," he replied in the same beguiling tone.

"You're using magic on me again, aren't you?"

"Only a small amount, you need the rest."

"I'll be angry with you in the morning." She yawned, her leaden eyelids sliding shut.

"It will be worth it," he breathed, his voice barely audible to her ears. Warm sleepiness pulled her downwards calling her away from him but one question refused to be forgotten in her almost slumbering mind.

"Haku?"

"Mmm…?"

"Why a Llama?"

"I thought it would make a nice change from pigs. Also, being stubborn creatures they would suit your father and I could keep him long enough for him to produce enough wool for Zeniba to make him a sweater as a souvenir of his time with cloven hooves. Also I thought…" Chihiro wanted to hear the rest but sleep claimed her.

Haku stroked her hair slowly, wanting to make sure she was sleeping deeply before resting himself.

"Everything will be alright Chihiro I promise," he assured her softly. "Within a week all this will be over. You will be my mate and nothing will ever be able to come between us." He knew in his heart that was not true; she would leave him one day. With his help that would not be for around a hundred years or so and he had decided to stop worrying about it. When the time came, it came. Maybe when it did it would be his time to leave this life also. He cleared his head of such morbid thoughts and was soon sleeping soundly.


	2. Daddy’s Girl

**Authors note- F sharp! (Sorry can't help it!) Anyway thank you SO much for all the wonderful reviews. I never expected to get so many on the first chapter, guess you where all missing me! As always, review replies on my livejournal. (Go to my profile page for the link. ) So a longer fuller chapter, hope you all like.**

**_Daddy's Girl_**

The border had been open for about a week when Haku finally got the warning that an intruder had crossed over. He quickly located Chihiro and they both flew to the now dry ferry crossing. Chihiro was slowly getting better at whizzing through the air while seemingly unsupported by anything except Haku's hand. She still could not look below her without a huge attack of vertigo, but she was learning to deal with it. The short flight from the top of the bathhouse hardly fazed her at all.

They landed gracefully before her astonished parents. Her mother recovered from her shock quickly however and hugged her daughter tightly.

"Oh, I was so pleased when I got your letter," Yuuko cried and stepped back from Chihiro and clutched Haku's hand. "I knew as soon as I saw you together that something like this was on the horizon. Just let me say how pleased I am for both of you." Chihiro beamed at her mother, her eyes misted a little with tears. Yuuko genuinely did seem happy for them. With only one way contact between Chihiro and her parents, Chihiro had had no idea how her parents had reacted to the news of her betrothal. She had suspected her mother would understand, but her father…?

Chihiro glanced over at Akio Ogino; he had lost weight, but his hair was greying. He looked older to her. His dark eyes were burning with disproval at his wife's actions, but his attention seemed to be on Haku. Chihiro realised he was sizing up her intended, trying to take his measure before he spoke to him. Chihiro prised Haku away from her mother and walked towards her father while clutching at the dragon's hand possessively. Akio blinked at the young woman before him; she was almost a completely different person from the thin, ill looking girl he had last seen in a hospital.

His daughter stood straight and proud. Her dark eyes were exactly like her mother's and they sparkled with defiance as she regarded him coolly. Her figure had certainly become more feminine and it was accentuated by the loose, light green tunic-like dress she wore. Her hair was longer too; the brown tresses fell well past the middle of her back. She was breathtaking. Suddenly Akio felt a huge stab of guilt along with a fresh wave of paternal protectiveness. No wonder the thing by her side wanted to possess her.

"Father," said Chihiro crisply. "May I present Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi; one of the most powerful spirits in this part of the spirit world. He is the person I intend to take as my mate next week."

The green eyed man-thing bowed to him shallowly. Akio did not return the bow. Chihiro could almost smell the testosterone in the air as the dragon and the human eyeballed each other.

"You take a great liberty with my family by taking our daughter as yours without asking our permission first," bit out Akio. Haku merely raised an eyebrow at her father's hostile tone, but Chihiro saw his shoulders stiffen also.

"Chihiro is quite capable of making her own decisions. Besides you were unwilling to believe her so I could not ask you. If you knew your daughter a little better perhaps you would have the sense to trust her judgement."

That hit home. Chihiro saw her father's eyes widen as if he had been slapped in the face. She looked helplessly at her mother. Yuuko just shrugged, quite happy to let the two males lock horns and vie for supremacy.

"I know my daughter a little better than you think, spirit," said her farther quietly. "Which leads me to believe that you must have manipulated her in some way, to get her to agree to such a quick engagement and now a sham of a marriage."

"It's not a marriage," corrected Haku acidly. "It is a bonding of souls. Chihiro will giver her soul to me and she will have mine. We will belong to each other in a way that you cannot possibly comprehend."

Chihiro's mother edged around the pair and stood next to her daughter.

"I think it's going well, don't you?" she chuckled.

"I don't find it funny," said Chihiro, while nibbling viciously at her nails.

"Oh, let them get it out of their systems. They won't be happy until they have had a good fight."

"I would not worry, except… Dad is not the fittest person and, well, Haku is a dragon… when he gets angry…"

"Don't fret my dear, turn on the water-works and you will have them eating out of your hands." Chihiro decided to resort to blackmail only if necessary. She would rather just shout at them.

"If you cared for my daughter at all," hissed Akio, "you would not impose such a thing on her."

"I love your daughter," snapped Haku. "And I'm not the one who left her to rot in a hospital!"

Chihiro's mother winced and Chihiro knew things were going to go too far if she did not intervene.

"BE QUIET!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Both of you!"

To her surprise they both turned to look at her. "You are like two children fighting over a toy!" she exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "For all our sakes, grow up! Dad you are 51 and Haku you are over 17,000 years old. Why don't you both start acting your age? I love you both and it's tearing me apart seeing you argue like this." Chihiro glared at her stunned father. "Dad, I love you but you have been a mule headed bastard!"

"Chihiro!" her mother exclaimed. Chihiro ignored her. "Yes, you did put me in a hospital and no, I have not quite forgiven you yet; but I'm willing to try. All you seem to want to do is insult the very person who rescued me from that place. I love him Dad and I want to be with him forever, please trust me enough to believe that I know my own heart." She turned to Haku.

"And you promised to be civil; I really thought you had more manners." Haku blinked but she continued. "And you are being far too over-protective. This is my father; he is hardly going to hurt me deliberately. Back off before you forget yourself." She glared at both of them. "Now, I believe Meeka has prepared lunch. Mum and I are going for a bite to eat and a cup of tea. You two are welcome to join us, or you can kill each other. At the moment I don't care which you choose." She spun around on her heel and grabbed her mother's arm. Yuuko Ogino trailed alongside her daughter, impressed with her handling of the situation. Haku stared after Chihiro. Akio shuffled his feet and finally spoke.

"I'm not normally so rude upon first meeting someone but…" He trailed off when the dragon looked at him. Akio had to admit the green eyed creature exuded hidden power and he was more than a little intimidated. However, after his daughter's stern words he felt the need to build bridges and quickly. He had not lost his misgivings however and he wanted to make sure the dragon knew it. "You are immortal, a creature of another world, how can this possibly work?"

"But it does work, we are a shining example that human and spirit can live together in harmony," replied the dragon solemnly. Akio Ogino looked after his rapidly disappearing daughter and then turned to the dragon, who towered above him.

"I don't like you and I don't trust you, but for my daughter's sake I will tolerate you."

"Fine," snapped Haku, gritting his teeth. "And I will continue to think of you as a pitiful fool." Akio nodded curtly and the human and dragon started to follow the women. Haku was wondering if Chihiro would mind terribly if he removed a few of her father's fingers and toes.

"_Just a slight maiming,"_ he thought. _"Then maybe he would be more respectful towards me."_ He knew however, if he even attempted such a thing Chihiro would remove a particular part of his anatomy that was very dear to him indeed. Still, he was not required to like Akio at all. Thus he was resolved, but he could not resist one last dig at the infuriating human.

"How you ever managed to spawn such a daughter is beyond me. Looking at you both one would think your blood was not even the same temperature."

"You're right," Akio grunted. "She is stunning and you are not fit to walk in her shadow. You should be honoured she is lowering herself to take you as hers. She could have done so much better."

"I know," muttered Haku, the wind taken from his sails somewhat.

The human and the dragon entered the bath house having reached an impasse. They were unaware they had risen in each others estimation considerably.

* * *

At lunch Chihiro ignored Haku and her father until her sisters arrived. Rin's sharp tongued wit and Linca's constant chatter seemed to ease the atmosphere somewhat. Indeed Akio was completely charmed by Linca, something the sprite shamelessly played up to.

"Tell me," she said huskily to Akio, placing a hand on his forearm. "Where were men like you when I was in the human world?" Chihiro nearly choked on her tea and strangled a laugh. Her mother seemed to be having trouble hiding a smile too. "Now I see where Chihiro gets her good looks," said Linca leaning closer to the furiously blushing Akio. Haku seemed amazed at the exchange; his eyes were wide and his eyebrows were raised as high as they would go. Chihiro had to admit the sprite was being ridiculously improper. She was from a part of the spirit world that was connected to a very different part of the human world. Customs and the boundaries of the acceptable were different, but even if she was in the Ukraine, Chihiro was sure Linca would be pushing her luck. To Chihiro's amusement her blushing father gave as good as he got.

"Chihiro did not tell me she had such a beautiful adoptive sister, I shall have to visit more often from now on and make an effort to get to know you better," Akio said as calmly as he could while meeting Linca's disconcertingly white eyes. Linca laughed girlishly and Chihiro took that moment to give her a friendly kick in the shin under the table. Linca yelped and glared at her, but she took the warning and toned down her behaviour. The conversation at the table lulled until Yuuko piped up.

"So what is exactly involved in this mating ceremony?" Chihiro and Haku shared a worried look, they had been hoping to avoid the subject; Chihiro did not know how to explain the proceedings in a way that would not sound like she was a touch insane for agreeing to participate in the ceremony.

Now Rin was not known for her deportment or diplomacy and so she surprised Chihiro when she offered her parents an explanation.

"It is a very beautiful and ancient ceremony; full of symbolism." Chihiro's parents nodded, both could respect such a thing. Rin continued, "The female betrothed is taken away by her family two nights before to be cleansed physically and mentally."

"I don't see why she has to go through this and Haku does not," mumbled Linca. "It's sexist." Rin gave her sister a flat look and did her best to ignore her.

"As I was saying, Sen will be cleansed; it also gives her an opportunity to spend time with her family before she commits herself to Haku."

Rin seemed wistful as she spoke. Chihiro was wondering if she was feeling emotions connected to when she was mated. Chihiro was certain that the name Rin had blurted out a few months ago had been her mate's. A mate whom she had had a child with; a mate who had treated her badly enough to make her run to Yubaba. Rin smiled and her soft brown eyes looked sad. "Traditionally this is the point that Sen must consider the suitability of her mate and it's her last chance to call a halt to things without dishonouring her family."

"What rubbish!" grumbled Linca.

"We as her family then ensure she arrives at the ceremony safely and in good health. To be mated when you are ill is considered to be a bad omen."

Chihiro was amazed that her parents were hanging on Rin's every word.

"The ceremony starts with Chihiro walking from one side of the temple to the other, symbolically leaving her family to start her new life. She will stop half way and then Haku will ask her if she is free and willing to come to him. She will hopefully answer "yes" and complete her walk across the temple to stand at his side." Chihiro saw her mother swallow slowly; she guessed she could count on her getting emotional at the ceremony. "They will pledge themselves to each other before the Gods. Then the Gods will demand a _symbolic_ sacrifice." Rin placed great emphasis on the word symbolic so Chihiro's parents had no chance to misunderstand. "Time was that there was an actual sacrifice demanded, a beast of some sort normally." Chihiro exhaled a breath she did not know she had been holding. Wisely Rin had left out the part about the sacrifice occasionally being a human child in times past. "In our days what is usually required are a few drops of blood from both parties. The Gods will accept the sacrifice and then Haku will have to confess."

"Confess?" Akio sounded alarmed.

"Yes," replied Rin. "He will have to tell her the worst thing he has ever done. We won't be able to hear of course, it will be done within a silence spell." Linca snorted.

"Again I find this very offensive; it implies that just because he is male he would rack up more misdemeanours than she would."

Rin, Haku and Chihiro all glared at the diminutive spirit. She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I just don't think it's fair, if you are all happy to go along with these antiquated customs then so be it."

"But it's all symbolic now, Linca," chimed in Yuuko, she then frowned and turned to Rin. "Isn't it?"

"Yes," Rin replied. "But if Chihiro does not like what she hears she may wish, and is within her rights, to walk away right then, but in doing so she will damage not only Haku's reputation but her family's also. In the past your clan or family were your livelihood and protection. To damage them was to damage yourself." Akio nodded at Rin's words.

"It was the same in the human past, marriages were about honour and money not love, though this seems more complex than an ordinary marriage."

"It is, and it is supposed to be difficult so that no one who was not a hundred percent committed would go through with it," said Rin sagely. Yuuko nodded.

"So, when she has heard the worst thing Haku has done and still wants to have him," Yuuko asked giving the dragon an encouraging smile, "then what happens?"

"Chihiro will touch her sacrifice wound to his and they will become mates. No one will ever be able to part them, they will always be aware of each other; their souls will be in each others keeping. They will be as much a part of each other as fibres are part of woven cloth; if you pick them apart there is no fabric." Rin gave Chihiro a rueful smile. "It will be one of the most beautiful and terrifying times of your life, sister, but I'm confident all will go well for you."

Chihiro smiled back, Rin's eyes looked so sad she wished she could take her pain from her. Haku was very still beside her; she felt anxiety through the Tac'Tal and knew he was worrying about his confession. He would have to be honest or the deities present would denounce him and not only would the ceremony not be able to be completed but he would be punished also. Chihiro slipped her hand into his beneath the table and squeezed reassuringly. He looked down at her and though he smiled she could see his worry.

"_It can't be that bad surely?"_ she thought. _"He may have lived a long time and probably has done plenty of things he is not proud of but I don't think it will be anything I'll have trouble forgiving."_

She loved him so much she felt she would almost be able to forgive anything; well almost anything, she may have a few problems with rape, torture and cold blooded murder. But Haku was not capable of any of those things; it was probably something he was forced to do while he was Yubaba's apprentice that caused him to worry so. He returned her grip and they turned their attention back to the table. The conversation had moved on but Chihiro could tell her father was far from happy about the situation; however he seemed willing to accept it. Linca had finally done something useful and guided her parents onto the subject of what Chihiro was like as a child.

"She was such a tomboy," her mother exclaimed. "Always playing in mud and water; digging up worms and climbing trees. As soon as she could walk I could not turn my back on her." Yuuko chuckled to herself; Akio laughed too.

"She was a real terror, always wanting to know about everything. Why is the sky blue, daddy? Why is the grass green? What holds the moon up? Why do birds sing?" It was exhausting!" He smiled at his daughter affectionately. "Then there was the time your curiosity got you into real trouble."

"How so?" asked Linca.

"She fell into a river; she was only four years old and could not swim. I think she knocked ten years off my life expectancy. One minute she was sitting on the bank, the next she was gone." Chihiro hid a smirk and let her father talk. "Anyway she did not come back up, the river was fast and deep and I could not see her anywhere. I screamed her name and ran up and down the bank hoping to catch a glimpse of her so I could pull her out. Finally, I found her sitting in the shallows around the next bend in the river."

"Why did you fall in?" asked Rin, who had not heard the story.

"I had new shoes on and one fell in; I wanted it back," replied Chihiro. "I did not mean to fall in; I made a grab for it and overbalanced." Akio laughed.

"Anyway, when I find her, before I can say anything, she puts her head on one side and says "Hello, Daddy" as if nothing had happened." The table's occupants laughed and Chihiro flushed. "I try to pick her up but she wriggles away from me, points to the water and tells me I have to thank the…" Akio trailed off, both he and Yuuko stared open mouthed at Haku. An enigmatic smile touched the dragon's lips and his jade eyes shone.

"Thank the what?" asked Rin, frowning.

"…The dragon boy," whispered Akio. Rin's frown deepened.

"Was that you Haku?" she asked.

"It might have been," he mumbled into his tea cup. There was perfect silence at the table. Haku watched Akio closely waiting for his reaction. Finally Akio stood slowly and bowed to the dragon.

"Forgive my earlier words; we owe you thanks and are greatly in your debt," he said quietly. Haku inclined his head toward Akio and motioned for him to sit back down. Chihiro could almost feel the dragon's mind start to race.

"I assure you, Akio, any debts owed are repaid ten fold by the fact that your daughter has consented to be my mate," he intoned and then a sly look crept over his features. Chihiro fancied she could hear a trap somewhere click shut. "That is if we have your blessing?" A grin split Linca's face and Rin looked thoroughly un-amused. Akio did not even seem to notice he had been manipulated.

"You have not only my blessing but my trust," he said sincerely.

"Then there are no debt between us," said Haku equally sincerely.

Linca decided this would be an ideal time to give Chihiro's parents a tour of the bathhouse. They all stood and she and Rin lead the way. Chihiro and Haku hung back and Haku slipped an arm around Chihiro and kissed her on the temple.

"You are far too clever for your own good sometimes," she mumbled into his ear.

"I know," he whispered. "But that's part of my appeal."

"Arrogant lizard," Chihiro chuckled and before he could distract her further she took his arm and pulled him in the direction her parents had gone.


	3. Dragons and Details

**(A/N) Ok this is the last "setting the scene" chappie, things will start to move after this. This is a bit of a filler chapter but thereare importantthings in it that will be elaborated on later. Remember this is only chapter 3 of a very long story. **

**A big special thank you to Daishar who has once again created fan art for this story. Go to www. deviantart. Com / deviation / 24242118 / and take a peek. It could have been drawn for this chapter! **

**Oh and this chappie getsslightly spicy, I have no excuse except I was in a mischievous mood. **

**Dragons and Details**

Chihiro could tell that her father was impressed by the immense size of the bathhouse. There were no customers at that time of the day and Haku invited her parents to practically roam where they pleased on the main floors.

"We also have private bathing rooms, if you would like to sample our services; free of charge, of course," said Rin quietly to Chihiro's parents. Yuuko's eyes lit up and Akio mumbled something gruffly about perhaps taking her up on her very kind offer.

Chihiro smiled at her blushing father and grinning mother. It was good to see them getting along so well. It was hard to remember a time at home when they were so easy in each other's company. A warm breath blew gently against the shell of her ear, sending a shudder up her spine.

"They are still in love," said Haku in a low tone, clearly taken aback by his discovery.

"It surprises you?" asked Chihiro, trying not to lean against him as he shifted behind her. How was it possible to be so aware of someone all the time? She suspected that after her mating the situation would get worse, not better; she was clearly quite insane and would die young from mental fatigue.

"It does surprise me," Haku continued, apparently unaware of his human's state of mind. "They have very different personalities. I don't want to insult your parents Chihiro, but I would expect such people to drift apart with time."

"Opposites attract, Haku," mumbled Chihiro still having trouble following the conversation. The heat from his body behind her seemed to very easily permeate her clothes, even though he was not touching her. It made her head spin a little and that beguiling scent of his seemed to insist on filling her nostrils, musky and deliciously spicy. It was just not fair! He was only standing there and she was melting into to a Chihiro sized pool at his feet. Evidently she had left her dignity far behind her when she fell in love.

She had always prided herself on letting her head rule her heart, but now she had turned into a silly simpering idiot who thought candlelight and full moons were "romantic" and sang and sighed to herself constantly. She was disgusted and ashamed of herself but what could she do? She was in love and it had changed her, she may as well accept it, ignore the down sides and embrace the good sides, like Haku… she found herself sighing again and winced. With a monumental effort she tried to concentrate on Haku's words rather than his body. If only his voice was less… like satin and steel…

"Chihiro, are you even listening to me?" He sounded amused.

"Oh yes," she struggled, trying to remember what he had been saying and gave up. Instead she reached for an excuse. "I was just thinking that my parents are not such an odd couple, just look at us."

"Yes, but we are different from them," he said thoughtfully. "More err…physical." Chihiro snorted, trying to contain a giggle. "What I mean," he said slightly testily, "is that we are always touching each other, holding hands and the like. I've not seen them so much as brush against each other." Chihiro could still not keep her face straight.

"Well, there are reasons for that, Haku; our relationship is quite new. The "ripping off clothes" phase does not last forever you know."

"It doesn't?" He was practically purring in her ear, his lips almost, but not quite, brushing her sensitive lobe.

It suddenly struck Chihiro that he was very aware of the effect he was having on her and was enjoying teasing her. She kept forgetting that his sense of smell could tell him such things as well as the Tac'Tal. Oh he was going to be a nightmare when they were mated! Well two could play his game.

"Oh, there is a good reason why it doesn't last," she said, making her voice low and husky. "I mean, I would be worn out if we continued the way we are. Sleeping together every night has a few drawbacks it seems. I'm always just a few inches from you." She reached behind her and found his well-muscled thighs; she gently rested her palms on them as if leaning against him for support.

"Easily in reach for you to touch me," her hands moved higher, a little more towards his hips. "Which, as you pointed out, happens frequently. One thing leads to another and before you know it…" She rotated her wrists inwards so her fingers stroked his inner thighs.

A gasp hissed through his teeth. Chihiro smiled; he could do nothing, her parents and her sisters were still close by. It looked like they were simply standing close to each other and talking. The smile on her face broadened and she dug her fingers into his legs making him growl a warning.

"So you see, if we continued as we are, by the time I got to around forty I would be worn out which would be a shame. So normally things cool off after a few years." She gave one last caress of his legs and then slowly removed her hands. She folded her arms and waited; waited to see if he dare touch her in the state he was now in. She could feel the burning heat of his emotions through the Tac'Tal. True he had managed to arouse her by simply breathing on her ear, she had been a little more direct but the effect was the same. Linca would be proud of her.

She put her head on one side and watched her parents following Rin around. At that moment they were marvelling at the token system. Rin was quite clearly pleased to have such attentive guests and was explaining the system's inner workings at length.

Haku seemed to be pulling himself back together; she heard him swallow behind her and he coughed as if to clear his throat. Chihiro almost chuckled at the dragon's discomfort. Finally, she turned to him but did not meet his burning eyes; instead she focused over the top of his head and feigned disinterest.

"Maybe we should start to slow things down now, just in case. I could start sleeping in pyjamas from now on so you are less tempted." She ran her index finger along her lower lip as if pondering the situation, still staring into the middle distance. "Or perhaps separate beds? Many couples sleep apart or even in separate rooms."

"Chihiro," he growled. She did look at him then, his eyes glittered and his shoulders seemed very tense. "Enough," he almost snarled, his sharp teeth peeking at her.

"You started it," she replied lightly. "I merely played along."

"You don't play fair," he grumbled, but the hard edge had left his voice.

"Then I hope you have leant your lesson," she admonished sternly.

"What, not to tease you?" he said grudgingly.

"No, I know you can't help teasing me; that was not it. You really should pay more attention, Haku."

"Then what?" he asked.

"That your mate-to-be fights dirty!" she chuckled evilly.

As frustrated and annoyed as he was, Haku could not help a small smile touching his lips.

"We will finish this later," he growled.

Chihiro tossed her head and turned on her heel, seeming, for all the world, completely unconcerned. She started to walk towards her parents but could not help one last parting shot.

"Oh, this is only the beginning my love." Haku chuckled and trailed after her, willing for the moment to admit defeat. But he could not help feeling cheated; if only she had moved her hands a little higher!

Linca sighed at them when they passed her. Who did they think they were fooling? Brazenly flirting with each other in front of Chihiro's parents, it was indecent! Linca smiled and whispered to herself.

"I'm just jealous. I need a male before I turn into a prude like Rin." She sighed again and fixed the happy smile back on her face. But she could not escape the loneliness that clutched at her heart as she watched her sister and the dragon.

"Not so much flirting but foreplay" she smirked. "Oh, I miss that; more to the point I miss him." She shrugged her shoulders. A male; she just needed a male, if only for one night. Then she could forget again, at least for a while.

* * *

Chihiro's parents did indeed take baths that night, much to Chihiro's amusement. Of course she had an early night herself that night and a late morning the next morning, though she got little actual sleep. Over the next few days Chihiro was more and more involved with the preparations for her mating and she hardly saw her parents or her sisters.

The kitchen staff had to know exactly what to cook for the celebration banquet. The gardeners wanted her approval of the flowers they were going to harvest for the big day. The musicians wanted to ensure the music they would play would be suitable to the human ear and most annoyingly of all, the Lady kept materialising at the most awkward times.

Even when Chihiro was shaving her legs in her bathroom she got no privacy. The Lady popped into existence, sitting on the toilet and making Chihiro shriek and cut herself. The Goddess evidently found this all very entertaining, despite the human's protests that she kept scaring her half to death. The deity had already insisted that she conduct the ceremony and seemed disposed to chat at length about her role no matter how busy Chihiro was.

"I swear, she is more excited than I am over this," Chihiro complained to Haku one evening as she prepared for bed.

"She has a right to be, I suppose," Haku sighed. "A mating between human and spirit has not happened for centuries."

"Well, I can handle her I suppose," mumbled Chihiro, throwing herself down on the bed and irritably throwing her socks across the room. "What really annoys me is all the trivial details that people come running to me with." Haku smiled warmly.

"It's a big celebration; it's endearing that people want to make an effort for us."

"Yes, but it's getting ridiculous." Chihiro slipped under the covers and wiggled her feet and rubbed her arms to avoid shivering. It was bitterly cold outside. Haku slid in beside her and rested on his elbow so he could still see her as she grumbled to him.

"Yesterday the gardener asked me which shade of white rose I would prefer; ivory or cream? He showed me the two different bushes and I could not tell the difference between them; I just pointed to the one nearest to me. Then the chef asked me what spice combination I wanted in my soup. I did not know we were having soup, let alone what spices I wanted in it." Haku chuckled softly and moved closer to her.

"Are you getting a little stressed by all this, little one?"

"Yes," she pouted and turned and slid an arm around his middle. "I just want to turn up, get through the ceremony and then disappear to your river for a few days. No doubt it is feeling very left out of the proceedings; we will both need to lavish some attention on it."

Haku smiled. It was very considerate of her to think of how the rest of him was feeling; she had so much on her mind at the moment and yet she was worrying about him. He leant forward and kissed her softly.

"We need to be seen to do the right thing, Chihiro," he whispered into her hair. "I know all the pomp and ceremony annoys you but this is a big celebration. People will be talking about this for years. This is less about us and more of a public gathering. With the old ones themselves officiating, it is going to be the biggest gathering of spirits this area has seen in a millennia. Do you actually know how many are coming to the ceremony alone?"

"I've blanked it out," murmured Chihiro against his neck.

"There will be over three thousand souls at the ceremony; twice that at the festivities at the bathhouse after. It's a good thing we are having our mating at mid winter when the bathhouse is closed. If it was open, the logistics of catering for all those extra people on top of our regular custom would be impossible. Be glad it is just roses you have to worry about." Chihiro's eyes flashed with irritation.

"Are you mocking me?" she asked, her tone deceptively light. "Because if you are, you can deal with all the petty stuff, as well as everything else."

"I'm not mocking you," he soothed and pulled closer so her head rested under his chin and he could feel her sweet, warm breath on his skin. "I know you care nothing for such things, but unfortunately people will think that shades of white will be important to you because you are female. They don't know you like I and your family do. Be as patient as you can with them; they just want to help."

Chihiro sighed and snuggled closer to him, appreciating the extra heat of his body. He must have sensed she was still feeling cold because another blanket popped into being on the bed and he carefully tucked it around her so no draughts found their way under the covers.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," she whispered and kissed his neck.

Silence stretched between them and Chihiro was just dozing off when Haku spoke.

"Did you pack your bag for going away with your family tomorrow?"

"Not yet," she sighed, "I'll have all morning."

"You won't actually," he said softly "but it does not matter; I'm sure Rin will see you have clothing."

Chihiro frowned but was too close to sleep to care about what he meant. Her brow cleared and she drifted off. Haku stroked her hair, watching her slip into slumber was somehow fascinating to him.

"Goodnight, little one," he breathed. "Sleep well. You will need your strength to deal with what is to come." As Haku fell asleep he was not sure if he meant the rude awakening she would get tomorrow or the mysterious prophecy that hung over their heads.

**(A/N) Sorry must leave it there, the next chapter is the cleansing, remember she has to spend two days with her family before her mating. I have a family reunion to go to tomorrow, believe me I'd much rather be at Chihiro's. Review replies on livejournal. **


	4. The Cleansing, Part 1

**(A/N) I want to say a BIG thank you to my beta, she got this back to me within 48 hours. You're a true star. Also I want to thank you one and all for your reviews, over 100 by chapter 3! It's a great compliment and I hope I continue to entertain you all. Your replies are on live journal. **

**Disclaimer- (insert one here.) **

**The Cleansing Part 1 **

Chihiro woke with a start; she was face down on the floor, her cheek resting on the polished boards. She shivered and thought sleepily that she must have fallen from bed. She was forced to reassess her assumption, however, when a cool pair of hands grabbed hers and efficiently began to bind them. Panic gripped her and she tried to wriggle away from her kidnapper.

"Be still!" hissed Rin's voice. "It'll come off soon enough and I'm using silk rope; it won't even rub your skin." Chihiro stilled and let her sister finish with her hands.

"What it going on?" Chihiro demanded as Rin helped her to her feet.

She noticed it was early morning, a grey pre-dawn light was forcing its way through the drapes and her heart leapt. Through a gap in the drapes she could see small, delicate snowflakes billowing and swirling playfully in a light breeze. It was only light snow, perhaps not even enough to cover the ground, but it was promising. It almost improved her testy, angry mood; almost. Rin was grinning from ear to ear, her hands on her hips and feet braced apart. She looked quite happy argue if it was necessary, or perhaps just knock Chihiro out cold.

"This is your cleansing," she announced, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She then turned and started opening draws, rummaging around them with a will. "Haku said you did not pack yet so I'm just going to grab what I can for you." Chihiro could hear Haku and Linca's voices in the next room, but she was unable to discern what was being said. She glanced around the room; bewildered and confused. Her eyes fell on a large, two handed, log splitter axe. It was innocently propped up against the bedroom screen as if it was part of the furniture.

"Err… Rin I still don't know what's going on but I'm fairly certain that an axe was not here last night."

Rin straightened up and chuckled. It occurred to Chihiro that her sister was rather strangely dressed. She wore a white shift dress that was very becoming for her statuesque figure and complexion.

"This is your cleansing," she repeated. "It has to be a little rough on you because you have been living with your betrothed for two months. That is a lot of sin to get rid of!" She laughed and then dumped a hastily packed bag by her side. "Now, hold still; Zeniba gave me this so we did not have to waste time dressing you up."

Rin unfolded a square of black cloth and blew on it. Black dust billowed off it and settled on Chihiro. Seconds later, her night attire had changed to a black shift dress in the same style as Rin's.

"That is so no one confuses us; you are the unclean one and we are performing our moral duty."

Chihiro sighed. She should have guessed her sisters had been planning something; they had been as thick as thieves all week.

Rin picked up the axe and swung it experimentally. She then brought it over her head and it came crashing down onto Haku's bed, almost splitting the wooden bed frame in two.

"Rin!" Chihiro exclaimed, hardly crediting what she saw.

"It's tradition," Rin grunted as she swung at the bed again. "Your family can not have you shamed by starting your new life in an old bed. If you had sleeping mats we would have burned them, but no, you have to be all modern and have a bed and that means an axe. Zeniba already destroyed the one at Haku's house last week. He still can't work out how she got in; he would be furious if he knew his own river dismantled his defences. It was quite accommodating, though she was practically stampeded by a mad horse spirit."

Chihiro smiled the mental image that popped into her head of the Nygel chasing Zeniba around Haku's home.

With the work of a few moments and six well calculated swings, Rin had reduced the bed to kindling; mattress and blankets were shredded beyond repair.

"There!" she said, dusting wood chips from her dress. "Now keep quiet and do as you're told. When we get to the train we will untie you." Chihiro rolled her eyes and Rin pulled her into the sitting room.

Linca was wearing the same white dress that Rin was, but the colour and cut did not suit her so well. In fact, Chihiro thought she looked ugly. Not that the spirit seemed to care. She was delivering a monologue to the dragon, who seemed to be having trouble keeping a straight face.

"…we will be removing our sister this morning and taking her into our care. At the end of the traditional term of two nights, you shall be able to take her as your mate. She will be cleansed of all previous acts and will be returned to you only if you have made suitable provisions for her care." She nodded to Meeka who was hovering near a window.

"Meeka will be our factor and has the power to inform us if our requirements are not met. We will brook no insult against our kinswoman." Linca gestured towards Chihiro and said, "Do you promise us on your honour to abide by our prerequisites in order to obtain our sister as your mate?" Haku grinned but answered in kind.

"By my honour and name I do swear."

"Excellent!" said Linca, clapping her hands and returning to her normal self. Haku glanced at Chihiro and his smile slowly faded. Chihiro felt like all the strings of her heart had just been plucked simultaneously.

"Can't we at least say goodbye?" she pleaded.

"Hush!" commanded Rin.

"Oh, we may as well let them," sighed Linca. "Look at them; they are missing each other already!"

"It's not proper," said Rin.

"Who's going to tell?" wheedled Linca. "There are only the five of us here."

"Alright," snapped Rin. "But quickly." She shoved Chihiro in Haku's direction.

Chihiro stumbled, but the dragon caught her around the waist and pulled her to him. He touched her face, once again marvelling at the softness of her skin. Chihiro gazed up at him and felt like she was drowning in his emerald eyes.

"The next time we meet I'll be asking you if you are willing to be my mate," he murmured softly.

"The answer will be _yes_," Chihiro breathed.

Without another word, his lips claimed hers in a hungry kiss, leaving her in no doubt exactly how much he was going to miss her. Chihiro lost herself in his embrace, but before he was finished with her she was roughly tugged away.

"Alright, break it up you two; you're going to make us sick," chuckled Linca. She grinned up at Haku and the dragon glared down at the white haired spirit balefully.

"Tut tut, dragon. We said you could say goodbye, not stick your tongue down her throat."

With that, Chihiro was dragged from the room. Haku stared after her longingly. She contemplated trying to wriggle free of her captors and kiss him, one last time, but that would probably really fly in the face of whatever tradition Rin and Linca were trying to adhere to. Instead she mouthed "I love you" to him. A smile caught his lips but he still looked a little like a lost puppy. It was an image that she knew would probably haunt her heart over the next two days.

However, that thought was obliterated while she was being paraded like a trussed up prisoner through the bathhouse. It seemed that even the night shift had got up early to see the spectacle; the walkways and bridges were full of people cheering raucously and throwing flower petals. Chihiro heard the odd snide comment from the crowd but most seemed to be there to wish her luck. Rin and Linca proudly marched on either side of her, but Chihiro was terribly embarrassed by all the attention. She knew her parents would be in the crowd somewhere. What would her father think of all this?

Luckily she did not have to endure too much of it and was soon being pushed over the main bridge and down some steps behind the food houses and then onto a train platform she had never been on before. The train was already waiting for them. Chihiro was shivering uncontrollably and had snow flakes stuck all over her by the time she entered the relatively warm locomotive. Tickets were handed over; it was only the three of them on the train. Chihiro suspected that even spirits did not want to travel this early in the morning. Rin and Linca untied her and wrapped a warm shawl over her shoulders.

"If I end up with a cold and can't get through the ceremony, I'll blame you both personally," grumbled Chihiro, as she curled up on a seat.

"You'll be fine," said Linca breezily. "Everyone knows that you can't catch a cold from the cold." Chihiro kept shivering and almost wished she would get sick.

"Relax," said Rin, "The hard part is over for now. Get some sleep; we will be at Zeniba's in a few hours.

The train moved off and Chihiro caught sight of the first rays of sun painting the tundra-like plain with its pastel pallet. Green at first, then pale silver, then pink and then at last burnt orange. The light covering of snow on the spindly vegetation and tussocks of dead grass turned everything into a crystal sculpture; starkly and simply beautiful. Chihiro fervently hoped as she drifted into a light doze that it was a day like this for her mating.

* * *

Zeniba's cottage was bustling with life. No-face; Bou; Chihiro's parents; Chihiro's sisters; the witch and Chihiro were all squeezed into the cosy kitchen.

Tea flowed freely and biscuits, fresh from the oven, perfumed the room with their oaty aroma. Everyone was talking at once; laughing and joking with each other. Chihiro sat at a corner of the table feeling like she was the only one who was not enjoying the occasion. She felt as if she wanted to spend a few days in quiet contemplation and not have to deal with the combined hustle and bustle of her biological and adoptive family.

She smiled cheerfully and answered questions directed at her. She even managed to laugh at the bad jokes Linca was telling, but it was all a façade for the sake of her family. Finally, someone noticed her mood. A chilly hand fell on her shoulder, making her jump. She looked up into the rigid mask of No-face.

"Uh?" he said quietly, obviously questioning her.

"I'm alright," she murmured. Clearly he did not believe her, as he tugged at her shoulder and gestured to the kitchen door. Everyone else was preoccupied with the conversation and no one noticed Chihiro and No-face slipping away from the table and out the door to the garden.

Chihiro leaned against the rough hewn stones of the cottage wall, glad of the biting morning air. She felt like she could finally breathe again. She inhaled deeply, several times, feeling the cold air sting her lungs, then she sneezed. No-face was watching her carefully.

"Thank you, friend," whispered Chihiro, smiling up at him. "It was all getting a bit much for me."

"Uh?" Another question.

"Why? Well, I suppose because I'm unused to all the attention. Suddenly everyone is very concerned about what I do and I have all these rules to follow and traditions to uphold…" She slid down the wall and crouched, hugging her knees. No-face silently sat beside her.

"… all this stuff just does not seem like me very much," she continued. "I never wanted a big wedding if I ever got married. Now suddenly I'm getting mated and the ceremony is the social event of the decade." She frowned and then muttered bitterly.

"And all those people who gossiped, judged and said we would never last, will be there, merrily toasting our health, while behind our backs they will be placing wagers on how long it will be before he tires of me." Her lips thinned and she grimaced.

"And I'm supposed to just smile sweetly and let them get away with it."

"Uh!" said No-face slipping a cold, shadowy arm around her shoulders.

"I know I should not let them bother me, but they do," said Chihiro to the sympathetic monster. "It's going to be hard enough getting mated, let alone having to be diplomatic and congenial at the feast and ball afterward. I hate parties; or rather I think they hate me. My troth plight party was good, but that was just a small affair. This is on an altogether different scale." She shivered but did not want to go back inside. Besides it was nice to talk to such a good listener.

"I don't want to embarrass Haku either; he seems to think that all the attention is just something we must grin and bear. That the day is less about us and more about the occasion." Chihiro's lovely face suddenly flushed with anger.

"Well I think that's nonsense!" she burst out. "This is _our_ day, celebrating and strengthening _our_ love. Instead I feel like I'm a freak on display. _Oh look at that cute little human trying to be one of us, oh how sweet._ Well they can all drop dead as far as I am concerned! I know they all loathe me being here; even the Lord thinks what I'm doing is wrong. They are all judgemental, self centred, egotistical…"

"Surely we are not all like that?" said a crisp voice. Chihiro looked up to see Linca standing with her back against the wall not two feet from them. The diminutive spirit's white eyes locked with her sister's. She was not hurt, Chihiro saw, but angry.

"I've been trying to hook you two up since you got here. I knew you loved each other but you were both too stubborn to admit it."

"I did not mean _you_," said Chihiro quietly.

"I know exactly what you meant, and you know what? It smacks of snivelling self-pity." Linca strolled over and took Chihiro's hands and roughly pulled her to her feet. No-face decided to be somewhere else and floated through the wall to rejoin those in the kitchen.

"You have a wonderful partner, whom you love very much, and he loves you so much he is willing to go against his own instincts and scorn his own kind and make you his mate. Have you ever thought what is going to happen to him when you are no longer around Chihiro? You will be the owner of his soul; you can't just give it back to him on your death bed; you will take it with you to the next world. He knew all this when he asked you to be his; it is a sacrifice of a magnitude that I can't grasp because I'm too selfish to even conceive of something so altruistic."

Linca stood on her toes and pressed her bluish face closer to Chihiro's so the human received the full impact of the anger in her eyes.

"He is effectively giving up his future for you, and you are moaning about entertaining people you dislike." Linca rocked back down onto her heels. "You were right when you said it was your day; it's that and more. What greater proof can there be that you love each other? Even your critics will respect that."

Chihiro swallowed and tried to think of something to say, but she was so shaken by the spirit's words that her throat seemed to have forgotten how to form speech. It had never occurred to her, even in her darkest moments, that Haku was making a sacrifice of any kind. Linca had astounded her. What would happen to her kind, tender, gentle white dragon when she passed on? And why had he not told her of what he was giving up?

"I… I never thought… I didn't know…. I" she stammered, distressed now at her own blissful ignorance.

"I know you didn't," said Linca sharply. "And you should know by now that I am always right."

"Wa… why did her not…?"

"Why didn't he talk to you about this? Probably because he knew how you would react and he did not want to burden you with the knowledge. Believe me, he would have thought about it very carefully before he even asked you to be his. But at the end of the day he is the possessive sort and he wants you as his and his alone. Don't fret over his decision; it was his to make and he made it freely and out of love." A grin crept across Linca's light blue lips. "And maybe a little bit out of jealously. I can't blame him; you're the catch of the century." Chihiro smiled weakly. Linca took her hand.

"This is what the cleansing is about, Chihiro; learning from the collective advice and experience of your family. You must try and see your decision from all angles. I told you this because I knew he had left you in ignorance about it and that is not fair on you. This ceremony was never meant for a human, Chihiro; it takes no account of your lifespan. He will be fine without his soul, but not the same as he is now. Part of him will be lost forever. I suggest you talk this over with him tonight."

"How?" Chihiro asked. "I'm in confinement and he's about 200 miles away."

"Oh, I don't expect he'll obey the rules to the letter. He'll contact you somehow; you can depend on it. His bed will be very cold tonight and he will be a very lonely dragon," chuckled Linca, her demeanour cheerful once more. She patted Chihiro's hand.

"And as for the party, you can be as rude and obnoxious as you like. You will be the mate of one of the most powerful spirits around. No one is going to argue with you while you have _him_ on your arm."

Chihiro could not help smiling. The picture Linca painted was a pleasant one, even if she did not intend to insult her guests.

"Now," said Linca authoritatively. "Get in the kitchen and be nice. Your guests you can be horrible to, but you are contractually bound to be good to your family." And with that Linca shoved Chihiro back into the bosom of her family.

* * *

Linca did indeed prove to be correct. Chihiro snuggled down under her blanket and got comfortable on her sleeping mat. Her sisters and parents were already asleep nearby and her father was snoring softly. She closed her eyes and drifted into a light sleep, and then she felt a warm, familiar presence in her mind.

"I know it's you, Haku," she thought at the presence, "and you're breaking the rules." His voice chuckled pleasantly at her words.

"I'm maintaining the spirit of them; I'm not actually there." His voice echoed in her head and she was very pleased to hear it; she had missed him today.

"I had to speak to you; all I've been doing all day is tying up loose ends so we can close. That and being mothered to death by Meeka." Chihiro smiled in her sleep.

"She has also been, err… instructing me on how to keep my mate happy. I pointed out that you are human and she knew little about humans. I also said that she had never had a mate and so was in a poor position to give advice."

"What did she say to that?" asked Chihiro.

"She cuffed me!" exclaimed Haku. "She actually hit me across the top of the head and told me to concentrate. I would have laughed if I had not been so shocked. I think she is taking this factor business way too far." Chihiro laughed.

"Well, I don't think you deserved it but she is acting with my best interests at heart, I suppose."

"Yes, that is true and it's the only reason that she is still herself and not currently residing in the pig pen," he muttered sourly.

"You make a lot of threats," observed Chihiro, "and they scare people because you really do have the power to follow through with them. But I have never really seen you do anything. I've come to the conclusion that your threats are as hollow as rotten wood."

"Not all of them," he muttered darkly. "Before you came along there was more than one person who really did end up in the pig pen. Never for very long; I never executed staff by slaughtering them in pig form and turning them into pork. Yubaba had a weakness for that sort of thing; she saw it as poetic justice. I, however, think it's a waste of staff and the meat that was once spirit never tasted very good."

"And it's morally wrong," added Chihiro.

"Oh, that too," he mumbled.

"Shouldn't that have been your first consideration?"

Haku sighed.

"I am not here to discuss ethics with you, Chihiro; we would be at it all night."

"So why are you here?" asked Chihiro.

"To say goodnight to you, and to hear your voice. I know you have not been gone long but I miss you already. It's as if we are already mated."

"And the bed is big and cold without me I bet," said Chihiro coyly.

"No. Well, it is but… what I mean is I'm on the sofa tonight. Rin's murdered my bed, remember? But you're right; I am lonely. I miss your warmth and the sound of your breathing. It's hard to relax without having you near me."

He sounded so sincere that Chihiro wanted to throw her arms around his neck and cover his face with kisses. But she couldn't; he wasn't there. That brought home to her how lonely he would be without her when her body finally failed her. She had no doubt that she would be in the best of health and still have all her faculties, no matter how old she got. Haku and her family would not have it otherwise. But she knew her body would eventually age and die. That was the way things were, and Haku would be left behind.

"Haku," she said gently. "What is going to happen to you when I die?"

The warm presence at the back of her mind grew cold at the question.

"Chihiro," he said at last. "We are about to become mates; this is not the time to be thinking about death. This should be the time we focus on our new life together and the happy future we have ahead."

"But I do think about it; it's something I'm sure you've accepted but you avoid discussing it. This is my cleansing time; a time when I'm supposed to think about my choice of mate. I've looked ahead, with Linca's help, and I've seen very few problems for us apart from my mortality. However reluctantly, I am going to leave you one day and I want to know how that will affect you, as I will be bonded to you spiritually."

"Why can't your sister keep her mouth shut?" he grumbled. "I have no answer for you, Chihiro, I don't know what would happen and to be honest I don't really care."

"I care!" Chihiro exclaimed. "You're my love; I will not knowingly damage you."

"You will knowingly damage me if you let a little thing like death get in the way of our happiness. Just turn up, the day after tomorrow, say the right words and I can get on with making your life as fulfilled as possible. I have no other objective for the next hundred years or so; you will be my only preoccupation."

"That and the bathhouse," quipped Chihiro.

"Damn the bathhouse! The whole place can burn to the ground for all I care," he growled. "Now stop this foolishness; and it _is_ foolishness. When you die I will probably go insane with grief anyway, with or without losing a part of myself. So, whether you become my mate or not, the outcome will be the same. When you die, I will have little else to live for…"

"Wait a moment, dragon," Chihiro interrupted indignantly. "What about any children we may have?" Again she felt the effect her words had on his presence in her mind; it shuddered with emotional confusion. "Will they lose both their father and mother on the same day? Would you orphan them, Haku?" The dragon was silent for some time; finally he spoke.

"No." Chihiro felt a flood of relief in making him see sense. Now at least he was thinking beyond her demise and not just of his own loss. "We better make sure we have children," he said quietly.

"All in good time; I'd like to have you to myself for a few years first." Chihiro felt the dragon's mood shift and start to lighten. "I need to find my way in this world and my place in it; then we can concentrate on making a family."

"You'll be a wonderful mother," he sighed.

"And you'll be a wonderful farther; as long as we have sons." She had confused him again. She chuckled and explained. "Well, if any girls we may have take after me, they will wrap you around their little fingers." He laughed at her, seemingly happy again.

"I'm still far from domesticated."

"Oh, give me time and I'll sort you out," said Chihiro slyly.

"I love you," he breathed, his beautiful voice echoing around her mind.

"I love you too," she replied.

"So, are you going to turn up to this ceremony then?" he asked, mock seriously.

"There's a strong possibility…" she said sleepily.

"If you leave me at the altar, I'll hunt you down…"

"Goodnight, Haku," she interrupted.

"Goodnight, little one," he said gently. "Sweet dreams"

And they were.


	5. The Cleansing, Part 2

**(A/N) Sorry this took so long folks; I've been a busy girl. However to make up for my silence I made this extra long. Enjoy. Review replies on livejournal as always.**

_**The Cleansing, Part 2**_

The next day, Rin and Linca woke Chihiro up at the first stirrings of dawn for her "cleansing bath." This seemed to be an excuse to strip off her clothes and dunk her in a cold stream, much to the amusement of the local water spirit who, luckily, was female.

"It's winter and there is snow on the ground. You are going to kill me!" squeaked Chihiro as her sisters poured buckets of stream water over her head. She stood in the icy, swift moving water and shivered uncontrollably. The water gurgled happily.

"And you can shut up too!" Chihiro snapped at it, forcing the words out between her chattering teeth.

"Stop moaning," said Rin. "The water must be pure and this is the purest we could find." The water gurgled, pleased by the compliment.

"Besides," said Linca. "Cold is good for the soul and we want yours to be in top condition when you give it away."

"The purity of my soul will be of little benefit if my body has raging pneumonia," muttered Chihiro. "Haku will really thank you warmly for ruining the night of our mating."

"Nonsense," said Linca tipping another bucket full of water over the disgruntled human's head. "Dragon boy won't let a little thing like snot and phlegm get in his way."

"Linca that's disgusting!" exclaimed Rin, while filling her bucket.

"It's the truth; after two days of not seeing her, and then, when she shows up playing the blushing bride for a few hours... well, he will be gagging for her!"

_"Right!"_ thought Chihiro_. "I'm not putting up with any more of this!"_ She concentrated on the amused water flowing around her feet. It was having a great time; this was the best fun it had had in a decade.

_"River!"_ Chihiro snapped.

_"Yes?"_ replied a high and breezy little girl's voice.

_"Do you know who I am?" _

_"Yes,"_ it replied happily.

_"And do you know who my mate will be?" _

_"Yeesss,"_ said the river, a little more carefully.

_"Then with that in mind, would you do me a small favour?"_ Chihiro knew she was shamelessly pulling rank, but she rarely used the perks that came with her status as a dragon's lover and soon to be life mate.

_"I am at your service,"_ said the water, sounding servile and a little awed to be asked to do something by the famous human, Chihiro.

_"It's not too difficult; I just want you to dunk my sisters in you and hold on to them for a short while."_

No sooner had she thought her request at the water than there was a splash either side of her. Rin and Linca both squeaked and found themselves sitting up to their waists in freezing stream water. Chihiro waded out of the stream and informed it that she would tell Haku how helpful it had been. She hunted around for her clothes but could not find them on the bank where her sisters had dumped them.

"We hid your clothes in case you tried something like this," piped up a shivering Linca. Not even spirits were immune to the cold it would seem. "Now stop abusing your position and tell this poor, misguided spirit to let us go." Chihiro folded her arms and regarded the two spirits severely. Linca's bluish skin was almost white from cold, whereas Rin was pale but more from anger, Chihiro thought, than the cold. The woman looked about ready to spit nails.

"Clothes first!" Chihiro demanded. "Then I'll let you go."

"Not a chance!" snapped Rin. Chihiro shrugged.

"If that's the case then you can sit there until the river decides to let you go. I've had enough cleansing for now, thank you." She wrung out her hair and started to pick her way over the frost hardened ground towards the cottage; not easy when her uncontrollable shivering kept making her slip on icy puddles.

"Your parents are in there!" shouted Rin. "Have you no shame?"

"Not really," Chihiro called over her shoulder and disappeared inside the cottage.

Rin and Linca looked at each other. The river was now giggling so hard it was threatening to burst its banks.

"I think all the power has gone to her head," said Rin. "It's partly our fault too; I think we may have over done the family honour thing." She looked back at the cottage. "We've created a monster." Linca chuckled and then sneezed.

* * *

Chihiro opened the cottage door and sighed as the warm air caressed her chilled body. She stepped inside to see her father sitting at the table nursing a cup of tea. At the sight of his very naked daughter wondering into the kitchen, Akio dropped his cup and grabbed a towel that was on a rack by the range. 

"You must be freezing!" he gasped and wrapped the towel around her. Modesty covered he retrieved one for her hair and another for her shoulders. Then he kicked off his house slippers for her to put her blue looking feet into. "What possessed you to go wondering around …" he stopped himself and sighed. "Maybe it's best if I don't know." Chihiro looked at her hopelessly confused father and felt her resentment towards him start to wane. Despite all his disbelief, he was here and he had given her his blessing to her choice of mate. Maybe he would never understand her decision but at least he had accepted it. She lent over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Dad," she whispered and then shuffled behind the curtained partition where the sleeping mats lay. Akio stared after her; was he forgiven? He felt like he did not know his daughter, but he could hardly look at her without seeing a little girl with pigtails and large, curious and questioning brown eyes. Her hands had been so tiny and she had called him "Super Daddy" because she thought he was so big and strong. But all this… it was difficult to place this world and her life in it, with the girl who had wanted to be a vet.

"Would you like another cup of tea?" Zeniba's voice woke him from his musings. He turned to the shrewd witch who was ginning at him knowingly. Just then, two very damp, scantily clad spirits slammed open the cottage door, slid over the kitchen floor and skidded into the sleeping area. There were a few moments filled with girlish shrieks and laughter from behind the curtain and then the back door slammed announcing that the trio had left. Zeniba held up the teapot.

"Yes, please," murmured Akio.

"I'll make it a large one," chuckled the witch.

* * *

Over dinner Zeniba brought up the reason why they were all gathered. 

"It falls upon us to point out the drawbacks of your choice. Not a pleasant task but we may have noticed things about him that you may not." Chihiro nodded solemnly and rested her hands on the table before her. She was not surprised that her father spoke first.

"I suppose the first thing is that he is not human." Chihiro found herself chuckling.

"Believe me, Dad, this is ground I have been over many times with myself, my sisters and Haku. I think I have that one sorted out in my head." Akio shrugged but then her mother spoke.

"But what of any children you may have? Won't they be half casts?" Chihiro winced at the indelicate term, but her mother had a valid point.

"They will be different," said Zeniba thoughtfully. "Torn between the world of logic and technology that their mother is from, and the world of magic and chaos that their father is part of. The blending of human and spirit blood can give unpredictable results. Your son or daughter may need specialist training in the magical arts, or may have no magical gift at all. No one knows or can predict such things." The witch smiled at Chihiro warmly.

"But to all intents and purposes it will be like a normal child. If sweets start disappearing from the pantry when it is about three then you know what you are dealing with." The spirits around the table all chuckled at this; evidently all had done such things in their youth.

"The child will age slower than human does and will live far longer than any human would." Chihiro let this information sink in. Haku really would have comfort in any children they had. They would be with him far longer than she would. Her grandchildren, if she had any, would probably have more spirit blood again. If Haku was not careful he could be head of a very large family of spirits and part humans within three generations. Chihiro liked that idea.

"He's arrogant," piped up Rin. "It's not as bad since you came along but he still is very arrogant." Chihiro pursed her lips.

"What you say is true and it's an infuriating trait. It leads him into teasing me a great deal. I suppose he has a right to feel superior, being a water God, and a powerful one at that. But the point is he has never made me feel inferior to him. Well, not on purpose. His arrogance is something I can cope with." She saw her father's face darken, but he said nothing. The other faces at the table were more understanding, apart from Bou's, who was more interested in playing with his biscuit crumbs on the table.

"He has a hot temper," grumbled Linca.

"Oh, I know that and I don't let him get away with it. And I have a temper too, as you well know."

"He has two forms and a large part of him is rather wet," said Zeniba.

"I actually find his dragon form quite attractive and he is a very convenient form of transport. As for his river, well we are on good terms. I find it difficult to understand that elemental part of him. He tried to show me exactly what he was once. I nearly fainted with the enormity of it all. I tend to think of the river as his inner child. It's playful but does not understand much about the world and it needs attention and protection." There was silence at the table for a moment, and then finally Yuuko spoke.

"Correct me if I am wrong, Chihiro, but isn't he a little bit possessive?" Chihiro laughed and her sisters and Zeniba grinned.

"He's very possessive, Mum, but I think it just stems from his insecurity regarding my mortality; it will ebb with time, I am sure."

There was silence again.

"Come on!" exclaimed Chihiro. "You are supposed to be challenging me but I'm actually enjoying this."

"He's dangerous!" her father growled with venom.

"Of course he is," she countered. "And he has a slightly amoral streak that all my spirit friends and family seem to share." Rin looked offended. Linca shrugged accepting Chihiro's words. No-face seemed a little uncomfortable and Zeniba smiled at him. Bou drew pictures in a pile of biscuit crumbs with a wet finger.

"But I have been closely acquainted with that side of him," Chihiro continued. "It does not intimidate me. It never has."

"In fact she likes it!" exclaimed Linca. Chihiro blushed and Rin gave her impudent spirit sister a warning look. Again silence reigned. Chihiro stood.

"Well is that's the best you can all do I think I better start on the dishes…"

"He is secretive," said Zeniba quietly. Chihiro sat back down.

"I did not know him before he started working for my twin, but I knew of him, even before he knew of me. The strong ones do not pass through this world unnoticed. I know there are things in his past that he is not telling you and he may never tell you. You might get a shock at his confession, Chihiro," the witch sighed. "My point is can you live with the knowledge that he will probably never share everything with you?"

Chihiro swallowed. She knew getting personal information out of him was like getting blood out of a stone. It had never occurred to her that he might be wilfully hiding things from her. It hurt; it hurt that he did not trust her. She was not sure how to answer Zeniba, how could she defend him for not trusting her? Then again, she had not shared with him all the painful details of her childhood, mainly because she did not want to relive it and was not sure he would understand about school and collage and therapists. She was about to tell Zeniba that he was not the only one who hid things, or rather forgot to share them, but Bou interrupted her.

"Do you love him, Sen?" he asked, his dark eyes fixed on her face with childish intensity.

"Yes," she replied.

"All of him? Not just the nice bits? Even his sharp teeth?"

"Yes," said Chihiro, her mouth turning up at the corners. "Even the bad things about him, including his teeth."

"Then you should be his mate," he said with utter conviction.

"It's not that simple, Bou," said Linca gently. "Relationships are more complicated than that, there are other considerations."

"Why?" asked the child and his button nose wrinkled up in a frown.

"Well… err…" Linca seemed at a loss, no one else was forthcoming with an answer. Bou looked at Chihiro.

If you love him, you should be his and he should be yours. That's the way things are meant to be," he declared and then he stood and shuffled away from the table to play with the infinitely patient No-Face. Linca laughed and shrugged.

"Well if Bou says it's true, then it must be so." Chihiro watched No-Face lead the large child outside and wondered if Yubaba was missing him.

* * *

Yubaba hung over her crystal ball, watching the happy looking gathering at her sister's house. It was taking a huge amount of power to spy on her sister without arousing her suspicion. Also, Haku had placed a number of spells on her sister's cottage as an extra layer of protection for his intended life mate. He had grown more cautious since she had been blamed for the kappa incident. As if she would try something that inane! Haku had doubled the number of combat trained staff on duty at any one time and Chihiro was always well protected. In fact, Yubaba would not have been able to spy on her at all without Kenshin's help. The air spirit stood beside her, his head bent forward so his dark, matt black hair covered his face and intense eyes. He was lifelessly still but she could feel his magic flowing out of him. It was like a strong wind that that did not stir so much as a speck of dust. He was calming both Zeniba and Haku's defensive spells, drawing on nearly 100,000 years of experience as a magic user to counteract the complex incantations. 

"Does it seem like she will go through with it?" His smooth deep voice slipped into her mind, as beautiful and deadly as a pit viper. The crystal ball, however, only showed images; Yubaba would have loved to listen in to the conversation but that would take much more power. Quite frankly it was beyond her if she wished to spy regularly. But she could guess from the smiles and animated conversation everyone was having that Chihiro would be at the temple tomorrow.

"It looks like it," she mumbled.

"Are you certain?" The question was asked softly, but carried a hint of threat. Yubaba bristled.

"Yes. I can't be a hundred percent sure but it does not look like a family in crisis."

"Let me see."

Before Yubaba could question the wisdom of him stretching himself in that way, she found herself mentally shoved aside and Kenshin moved his consciousness into her mind. She felt the spirit using her eyes to look at the glass. Yubaba forced down her panic at no longer being in control of her body and let the air spirit do what he wished. She reminded herself that the plan he had was sound and if all worked well she would have a bathhouse at the end of it.

They were sadly restricted by the defences as to what they could see; only half the occupants of the table could be clearly seen and Chihiro had her back to the view. Yubaba could feel Kenshin's frustration. He was almost trying to get the human to turn around by sheer force of will, wanting to put a face to his possible nemesis. He must have lost concentration for a moment, or one of those cursed magical gifts the girl carried might have sniffed something it did not like. Whatever the reason, the girl turned sharply and stared right into the crystal. She had changed since Yubaba had last seen her. She wore her hair down and the deep glossy tresses framed her round but delicate face. Yubaba thought she had matured, perhaps more woman than girl now, and quite pretty. Chihiro's limpid brown eyes, framed by long dark lashes, gazed intently at whatever she was seeing. It was as if she was looking right at Yubaba.

The effect she had on Kenshin was electric. So many emotions screamed through his consciousness that Yubaba could not distinguish one from the other. The image in the crystal faded and Kenshin practically ripped himself from the witch making her stagger.

"So that is what all the fuss is about." He said to himself quietly. I can perhaps understand somewhat… how interesting." He looked at Yubaba who was pale and sweaty from her exertions. He seemed to shake himself from his musings.

"The plan does not change. Did you create the pestilence?"

Yubaba was still trembling slightly, but she managed to pick up a small bottle from the table. In it was a small mosquito-like insect, which buzzed ominously behind the glass.

"Excellent," he said curtly. He stood still for a moment as if unsure what to do next. He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back from his pale face and ethereal grey eyes.

"Send it tomorrow," he said at length. "During all the celebrating no one will be watching for something so small." He sighed and then frowned at the witch. "You did not make it deadly did you?"

"No, I did as you instructed, life threatening but not deadly. It will be symptomatic within a few months and it's not contagious." Kenshin nodded and his attention seemed to wonder back to the now transparent crystal ball.

"Thank you, Yubaba," he said absently. "Forgive me for using you like that, but I had to see…"

"I understand," said the witch magnanimously.

"No, you don't," he said and smiled at her coldly. "But thank you all the same."

* * *

"Chihiro?" Zeniba's voice broke into her thoughts. She turned back to the witch seated at the head of the table. 

"Sorry, granny, I thought I saw something."

"It was probably just a draught blowing the drapes dear; this is an old cottage and the wind gets in all over the place. Now, would you be so kind as to help an old woman with the dishes?" Chihiro gave the window another penetrating look but the disconcerting feeling of being watched had vanished.

Zeniba knew very well that her sister had been watching. She let her watch so she could see that they were all happy and that her child was healthy and well cared for.

Then she had felt another presence spy into her home and steal a look at the sacred proceedings of the cleansing. It was male, and strong. Very strong; stronger than herself, and perhaps a match for Haku. It was old too; chillingly old. Now Zeniba was no spring chicken, 30,000 years was respectable by any standards, but this spirit could be twice that, if not more. She had let it look, hoping to gain information that may help Chihiro in the future, but Chihiro had turned and the spy had fled. Zeniba was worried, but she would perhaps tell Haku after the ceremony. After all, the dragon had much on his mind at present.

* * *

That evening, Chihiro was wondering over the frozen fields of swamp bottom. Granny liked to grow her own rice and vegetables and the flat plain regularly flooded making it ideal for her proposes. Now however, there were just a few bare cherry and peach trees and the cultivated ground held nothing, having been turned over in preparation for the spring sowing. 

It was cold, very cold, and the stars burned brightly against the black tapestry of the winter sky. Chihiro looked up and found the constellation of the dragon. She smiled; the constellation looked completely different to its cousin in the human world. The string of stars resembled a worm more than a dragon. Haku had been greatly offended when she had told him that. Frosted ground cracking under foot alerted her to her father's presence. He came to stand beside her, his breath fogging in the chill air.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked. Chihiro said nothing. "Well I suppose I should not complain, at least you have your clothes on now." A small smile tugged at Chihiro's lips.

"It was just a joke they played on me. I refused to give in so had to return with no clothes."

"That sounds so unlike you," Akio muttered. "You would never have done anything like that at home."

"This is my home," she corrected gently, still looking at the sky. Akio looked up also.

"I don't recognise these stars," he grunted.

"It's the same sky," Chihiro muttered. "We just see a different part of the universe." Akio shook his head.

"I'm no quantum physicist; I find all this very hard to…" He trailed off and shrugged his shoulders.

"Go back in the house, Dad," said Chihiro, wishing to be alone with her thoughts on her last night as a single human.

"I have something to say first."

Chihiro braced herself and looked back at her father. She realised she was looking down slightly. She was taller than he was. She had never noticed the difference in height before and suddenly her father seemed much smaller, almost pitiable. He was shuffling his feet and trying to order his thoughts. Chihiro felt an almost superior sort of affection for him. She had come to that realisation that every child must, sooner or later. Her parents were human and were therefore subject to all the hypocrisies and weaknesses that humanity entailed. She felt herself start to forgive him.

"I know I've done wrong by you. I should have been more open-minded, but how could I know? You were a different sort of child anyway and when you came out with all that nonsense… I thought I was helping you." He looked up at her. "This dragon; I know I've given my blessing but I must ask you to think again about this. He is sly and clever; I see that. He may have saved your life once but you have no obligation to him. The debt is mine and your mother's. I know he is rich but will he make you happy too?" Chihiro thought for a moment, touched by his paternal concern.

"Do you have any other objections apart from these?" she asked gently.

"No, as I said you have my blessing. But marriage is hard, Chihiro. Well, this is a sort of marriage from what I understand. Your mother and I have had our problems but we have worked through them. How many more problems will you have marrying a dragon? A creature that is not even a member of your species. I don't want to have to see you unhappy in your marriage… or whatever it is you call it. Your life has been difficult enough without you adding burdens to yourself."

"I love him, Daddy," she whispered in an almost childlike voice. "He is generous and gentle. He makes me laugh and treats me like a princess. He is almost totally selfless when I'm with him and I can't bear to be without him. Even these two days have been hard for me. I love him desperately, so much so I have happily left my own world behind to be a part of his, even though his place is hostile to humans by its very nature. He's my souls mate; I'm his and he is mine."

Akio Ogino heard his little girl speak of her love and felt his heart break. She would always be his little girl, but now she was a woman and was giving herself to another. This was bitter sweet at best. At least she was happy, and that was really all that mattered. He kissed her brow and whispered.

"If that is the case then he deserves you. I could not bear to let you go for anything less than if you had found love. Be happy Chihiro and try to forget what we did." Chihiro's lips trembled but her voice was steady.

"I will try," she whispered.

* * *

That night, Chihiro was surprised by how tired she was. She knew she would have no trouble sleeping despite the ceremony being only hours away. She listened to the sounds of her family settling down to sleep around her. Soon enough, everyone was breathing deeply with the occasional light snoring. Chihiro fought against her tiredness; she had something she needed to do first. 

She gripped her Tac'Tal and felt for the one who had made it. It took her a little time, there was a considerable distance between them, and her mind was fumbling slightly with the task. Finally she found him. He was wide-awake and seemed to have no intention of resting. She pushed a little deeper and discovered he was nervous. Very nervous. He also knew she was checking up on him and was surprised she had managed to do so over such a distance.

"You really are becoming adept at using that thing," he grumbled at her.

"You gave it to me," she thought at him sourly.

"Yes, but I did not expect you to master its powers and spy on me."

"I'm just making sure you are alright!" she protested.

"And breaking the rules," he pointed out. "Don't let Rin know you've spoken to me the night before the ceremony; she will think our union cursed."

"It already is cursed; I'm human, you're immortal, we need no ill omens to tell us that," chuckled Chihiro. Haku was not amused.

"You can still back out now if you like, we don't have to do this."

Chihiro smiled to herself.

"Stop fretting Dragon, I'll see you tomorrow."

"I can't help it," he sighed heavily in her mind. "There is so much to do before I even think of the ceremony. I want everything to be perfect for us."

"And you're nervous about the ceremony," said Chihiro.

"So what if I am?" he mumbled.

"Whatever you tell me tomorrow, Haku, I'll still love you," she told him, trying to sound as reassuring as possible.

"Perhaps," he said darkly. Then he sighed again. "Please, go to sleep, I'll be fine. I think I'll go for a bit of a night flight, it will clear my head."

"Alright. Goodnight," said Chihiro and she let herself slip from him. She was magically drawn back to him however.

"I forgot to tell you," he breathed, his voice sounding excited in her mind now. "You may want to look outside little one. Call it a gift." Then he released her. Chihiro blinked and pinched herself to make sure she was finally back in the world of the physical. She rose quietly and tip toed through the sleeping bodies to the heavily draped window.

She slipped behind the drapes and curled up on the windowsill. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the moonlight. Then she realised there was no moonlight. In fact the panes of glass seemed to be blocked over with something. She carefully opened the window and stared. Big, fat flakes of snow were drifting silently down from the sky, which only two hours before had been cloudless. It was almost a complete white-out; she could barely distinguish between ground and sky. The only feature that enabled her to tell one from the other was the fence that ran around Zeniba's cottage. It still had half its height poking from the pristine drifts.

Her white dragon had turned the world white for the day she would become his mate.

"Thank you," she whispered simply to the white sky.


	6. The Ceremony

**Right, I don't mind telling you that my Beta and I have slaved over this very long chapter. So thank you to her. **

**LadyRainStarDragon made me aware of a wonderful spirited away fan site. It's about to be taken down so see it while you can, it has wonderful fan art and great fanfictions as well as other useful information, like a full translation of Haku's name. Take a peek at "Tea with the white dragon" before it's gone http/sekaiseifuku . net / hakumain . html**

**_The Ceremony_**

Linca woke Chihiro at dawn.

"Come on sleepyhead!" she crowed. "The sun is up, there is 2 foot of snow on the ground and your body is mine for the next three hours. All males have left the premises and will not return. By the time they see you again at the temple you will be looking immaculate."

Chihiro suffered Linca's ministrations with good humour. She was bathed and rubbed with scented oils from head to toe. Then Linca styled her hair. The sprite piled up the human's hair on her head, pinning it with diamond studded pins. Then she started to braid loose ends into complex loops. She even worked in a small hair ornament, a snowflake made from pure crystal filigree. It flashed and sparkled against Chihiro's dark hair.

"Wonderful," sighed Linca when she had finished her creation. Chihiro had to admit, she had never seen her hair look so good.

"Now don't go fiddling with it or I shall have to use magic to keep it in place. Now where is Rin? I'm doing her rat's nest next."

"Wha… Oh no you're not. I'm just braiding my hair back!" snapped Rin who had started to edge towards the door Linca stepped towards her and she bolted. Linca chased after her, brandishing a bristle brush and carrying hair pins clamped between her determined blue lips.

Zeniba poured the human a cup of tea and moved to a cupboard in the corner. She removed a garment on a hanger, hidden by a black cloth. Chihiro eyed it suspiciously.

"Wait till you have your undergarments on and your make up, then you can see it," said Zeniba kindly.

Chihiro removed her bath robe and slipped on a sheer black silk vest and a pair of ridiculous looking bloomer-like knickers that Zeniba handed her. It was traditional for the family of the female to provide her garment. She was not allowed to even see it until the day of the ceremony. Chihiro had no idea what kind of garment would require her to wear undergarments that made her hips look much bigger than they already were. Zeniba sat her down and started to apply her cosmetics. She painted Chihiro's lips dark, cherry red and shaded her eyes with earthy tones, spreading the colour right up to her eyebrows. Zeniba then applied powder to her face, making the human look paler, and just a hint of blush to the cheeks. Chihiro had never liked make-up that much but at least the effect was reasonably subtle. If Linca had done her face, Chihiro was quite sure the spirit would have applied face paints with a garden trowel and she would have ended up looking like a cross between a geisha and Cleopatra.

Zeniba then opened an ornate pewter jar that hissed when opened. Chihiro recognised the contents; dragon scales.

"They are actually Haku's. I took the liberty of borrowing a few, last time he was here; they are good for potions. I probably should have asked but they were just lying on my path."

She removed one of the thumb sized pearlescent scales. Chihiro examined it closely; it was almost translucent; she could see the shadow of her finger through it. It had a slight iridescent sheen on the surface that caught the light, sending pinks and purples dancing across its surface. She always thought he was stunning in his dragon form and that scale oil Rin had given him had come in very handy. She smiled to herself; the last time she had demanded to check him over he had wrapped his sinuous body around her and held her there like a python with its prey. He had held her there until she apologised and then released her. He had told her that all she had to do was ask nicely and next time she could inspect his scales at her leisure. He did so enjoy her clambering all over him. She chuckled to herself at the memory. He really was tolerant of her and she had not been frightened when the scale covered body had looped around her, in fact… it had been… well… quite… sensual.

Zeniba applied egg white to the back of the scale she was holding and pressed it to Chihiro's cheek, where it stuck. Zeniba worked carefully, and when she finished, Chihiro's cheek bones and forehead were covered with scales; it looked almost like she had grown them herself. It was then Chihiro realised that Rin, Linca and her mother had all come in and stopped what they were doing to watch the witch work.

"I thought," said Zeniba quietly, "that there cannot be any better adornment on your mating day than your dragon's own scales."

"She looks wonderful," breathed Yuuko, watching the colours on the scales dance and swirl in the light. Chihiro actually saw Zeniba blush.

"Well, she is not finished until she has her outfit on," Zeniba said gruffly.

The witch moved to the cloth obscured garment and removed the covering without preamble. It was a full length silk kimono of the purest white, with a broad plain white obi to go with it. Embroidered on the garment in silver thread were snow flakes; a myriad of them. In places the material could barely be seen for silver thread. Amazed, Chihiro realised as she examined it, that each individual snow flake was different in some way from the others near it. It took her a moment to comprehend that, like real snow flakes, no two of these embroidered snow flakes were the same. Chihiro was speechless as the kimono was slipped over her shoulders. It settled on her, her black vest just peeking through where the garment was open at her throat. The outrageous underwear came into its own ensuring the heavy silk flowed smoothly over her hips, rump and legs. The obi was wound around her middle and pulled tight.

"We thought it best if you went bare foot," said Rin. "You are carrying a lot of fabric and we thought complex shoes would be uncomfortable and sandals would not look quite right with this."

"Which is why I insisted on giving you a pedicure earlier," said Linca proudly.

"It's beautiful," sighed Chihiro, finding her voice at last.

"No, you're beautiful," whispered Yuuko, kissing the tip of her daughter's nose to avoid smudging her make-up.

Now Chihiro was finished, the women attended to themselves. Chihiro discovered that the male members of the household had left well before dawn so they could travel to the temple and ensure all was going ahead as planned. The female members of the house were all dressing themselves in dark blue kimonos, apart from Zeniba, who preferred to remain in her grandmotherly blue dress.

"It's how I'm recognised," she said. "You'd think a huge head, no neck, massive eyes and a large wart would give me away as one of the cursed witch twins, but apparently not. It's the stupid dress, so I and my sister have grown used to wearing it. Saves having to introduce ourselves; our formidable reputation precedes us."

Soon all were finished and Chihiro voiced something that had been bothering her.

"I know you probably have everything sorted out but… If we take the train, isn't it going to take a whole 24 hours to get back to the bath house? It conveniently only goes one way."

"And your point is?" asked Linca.

"We are supposed to be at the temple by noon today."

The spirits and the witch smiled. Zeniba shuffled to the huge range that kept the kitchen warm, then put her hand to the brick wall behind it and said a few words. A tiny secret drawer popped out of the bricks. In it was Zeniba's solid gold monogrammed seal. It looked like an ordinary letter sealer. A frog decorated the top and on the bottom an ornate Z was incised into the gold. The witch held it in her gnarled hand and muttered something and it glowed orange.

"Everyone hold hands in a circle, please," said the witch.

Everyone did and the witch ducked beneath Rin and Linca's clasped hands to stand in the middle of the circle.

"For the benefit of the humans present, I'll explain what we are doing," she intoned gravely. "I'm about to cast a long distance transportation spell; you must brace yourselves. Stand with your feet apart and bend your knees or you may fall over on the other side."

The witch then closed her eyes. Chihiro saw an orange haze surround them all then a great wind seemed to howl in her mind.

All five women vanished from the kitchen in a puff of orange smoke.

* * *

Chihiro found herself standing in a small, dimly lit chamber, complete with all the female members of her family, still holding hands. To her left was a large door with muffled voices coming from beyond it. Many muffled voices. Chihiro knew the hall of the temple must be through that door. All of a sudden she was exceptionally nervous. Her mother saw her daughter's hands start to tremble and took them in her own.

"I'm so proud of you," Yuuko whispered.

Rin smiled at her sister over Yuuko's shoulder.

"Enjoy it if you can; it's not as bad as you think. Don't look at the crowd; they are not important," she said.

Linca practically squeezed the life from her sister, rumpling her pristine kimono.

"You'll be fine; don't take too long over all this. I want to get through at least two large bottles of sake before nightfall."

"You look radiant," said Zeniba warmly. "People will talk about this day for years to come."

Chihiro nodded, unable to speak. The noise from behind the door was starting to turn to hushed whispers. Chihiro's hands shook a little harder and her mouth was dry.

"Can we go now?" she croaked. "Or I'm going to lose my nerve." Linca smiled at her and nodded.

Rin, Yuuko, Linca and Zeniba stood in twos behind her. Chihiro just concentrated on her breathing. If she could breathe, then she would be able to walk; if she could walk, she could get through this. The door swung open, apparently unaided, and Chihiro saw that her father, No-Face and Bou were standing either side of the door. The hall was larger than Chihiro remembered it. Then again, at her bonding she had had many things on her mind; she forgave herself quite easily for not remembering the huge cavernous room, with its black stone floor, teak pillars and beams, in more detail. It seemed a very long walk, from where she stood, to the cherry tree altar at the end.

The goddess of the spirits and her mate stood at either side of the altar. Both deities were resplendent in purple robes. Everyone was standing and people were packed thirty deep on either side of Chihiro, leaving a long corridor of black floor for her to traverse. She could not see Haku. She took a deep breath and started to walk, setting a slow sedate pace for those following her. She was aware that after twenty paces or so that she was no longer being followed. She was alone, walking though the packed and silent hall, head held high and eyes fixed on the distant altar. No shoes had definitely been a good idea. Instead of 'clip clopping' or 'slip slapping' her way up to the altar, she was silently gliding in a pair of thick woollen socks. Haku would laugh when he saw them, she was sure, but for now her feet were hidden by fabric seemingly made from snowflakes.

When she judged she was half way to the altar, Chihiro stopped. It was hard to stand still; she wanted to fidget; play with her kimono or pluck at her nails; anything instead of just standing there, being watched by thousands. She fought to keep still. Her patience was rewarded; Haku stepped before the altar, bowed to the gods and turned to face her.

The silence was absolute; only the slight creaking of the beams high above could be heard, protesting at the weight of snow the roof held. They stared at each other for a long moment, simply drinking the sight of each other in. Haku was dressed completely in black, and much more traditionally than anything she had ever seen him before. In a midnight kosode and haori he looked more like a deity than the two gods that flanked him. His hair was the way he always had it, but with the black clothing it shone green in the weak winter sunlight. His face seemed pale, as if he had not slept much over the last few days but his jaw had a determined set to it. His eyes… Oh, his eyes… He was like an open book to Chihiro. She could see the emotions within him war for supremacy. Shock, pride, fear and pure lust all flicked in the jade depths.

Haku thought he had never beheld anything more exquisite. Chihiro was a radiant vision in snow white. The colour complimented her dark hair and made her dark eyes seem large and doe like. He tried to burn this image of her into his memory; Chihiro in the flower of her youth, on their mating day, with his scales shimmering on her cheeks and forehead. She was nervous; he could feel it; but she had walked up the aisle like a princess, gliding gracefully over the floor. He only saw admiration in her eyes now; no fear or tension, and his heart skipped a beat. He suddenly realised it was time for him to speak. He looked at no one else, just fixed his gaze on her and spoke only to her. The crowd was a mere memory.

"Are you free and willing to come to me? To be loved and cherished be me for the rest of your lifespan? To be mine and forsake all others with a claim on your heart and soul?" His low lilting voice seemed to fill the hall, though he spoke softly and to Chihiro it sounded as intimate as the rustle of satin sheets. There was only ever to be one answer.

"Yes," she said decisively.

"Then come forward," he almost whispered. Chihiro resumed her transit of the hall, a little less sedately this time. She reached the altar steps and Haku stepped forward took her hands and guided her up the stairs to stand before the altar.

The Goddess moved in front of the couple, her blue skin gleaming and her violet eyes twinkling. She gave them both a huge wink and mouthed "well done" to Chihiro. That seemed to take the pressure off them both and Chihiro relaxed a little.

"We have all gathered here…" intoned the goddess, "to witness a very rare event; the union of two souls. It is rarer, still, because these are not two normal spirits, but a human and a dragon.

"Such a level of commitment has not been made between two such as these for as long as most of you can remember. In the past such things were more common and it gladdens my heart to see a human and a spirit existing harmoniously together once more. I bonded this human to this world and she is dear to me, as is this dragon, whom I have watched since his creation. I give my blessing to this mating; may you both grow and prosper through your love and support of one another, and continue to be a shining example to us all that love really does conquer all."

She made a complex gesture with her right hand and magic crackled through the air. Haku turned to face Chihiro and Chihiro followed suit. Once again they were almost lost in each others eyes. Haku began to speak again.

"I love you Chihiro Ogino, with all my mind, body and soul. I offer you my position in society and the protection of my name. I will shelter you within my household and gladly forsake all others."

Chihiro was trembling slightly again but when she spoke her voice was steady.

"I love you Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi, with all my mind, body and soul. I have little else to offer you than that. I will gladly dwell in your household as your mate and give you a lifetime of love and happiness."

Chihro's mouth was very dry, she tried to work a little moisture into it but it was a fruitless task. The Lady handed Chihiro a highly decorated silver chalice and to Haku she gave a wicked looking silver dagger with a jewelled hilt.

"We require a sacrifice," intoned the Lord. His terracotta skin clashed slightly with his purple robes, but he did not seem to know or care. "As a symbol of the integrity of your intent."

Haku held his right hand over the cup and drew the dagger across the back of his hand sharply, creating a long thin cut. Blood welled up and he tilted his hand so three large drops fell into the chalice. He took Chihiro's left hand and gave her a moment to compose herself; she still winced as the blade bit into the back of her hand but managed to stop herself pulling away. She bled more than he did and a steady trickle dribbled into the waiting cup. The chalice was then passed back to the Goddess, who then tipped the cup to her lips and drank its contents. Haku gently held Chihiro's still bleeding hand in his own seeing that she was trying desperately not to stain her garments. Chihiro did not think it was the best idea for him to be so close to her bleeding hand. She had caught the feral gleam in his eyes and knew full well what even the smell of her blood could awake in him. He was controlling himself for the moment, however, and Chihiro suspected that it was something he could easily ignore if he chose to; for instance, if she was bleeding to death. She could not help smiling at him.

The Goddess licked her lips and grinned at them both.

"The pledges have been made and we find the sacrifice acceptable. Now pray silence for the confession."

The crowd did not really need to be told; there had been some mutters over how much blood Chihiro had shed but all was quiet once more.

"A silence spell shall be cast; none will hear what is said, save the intended." Then she whispered to Chihiro and Haku.

"Take as long as you need, there is no hurry." Then the two of them could hear nothing accept their own breathing. Silence stretched between them; finally Haku spoke.

"I… You… You're breathtaking," he whispered. His voice sounded oddly subdued, as if he were speaking to her on a bad telephone line.

"So are you," she replied. Her voice sounded thin and tinny to her ears. He smiled and reached towards her, lightly brushing the scales on her face with his finger tips.

"Whose idea was this?"

"Zeniba's," she replied.

"They look better on you than they do on me…" he trailed off and the pregnant silence replaced his distorted voice. Chihiro said nothing, happy to wait until he was ready.

"I… I suppose I better confess then," he said eventually, not even looking at her now. Suddenly he was no longer a commanding river god but the sad and lonely little boy she had known when she was ten; gentle and unsure.

"Yes let's get this over with; if we take too long Linca may start passing out the vodka before we get the banquet."

He sighed and then looked at her, as if only at that moment making up his mind about something.

"Well…" he began, "this may take some explaining and it was a long time ago, about 7000 years I think. I was a normal bonded river spirit back then and my river was healthy and untouched, though smaller than it is now. There were humans around, of course, but they were primitive and held no more than a passing interest for me. A clan of sorts lived in a cave system not far from me and I was their main source of water. We had a series of cold winters, about three in a row. I remember struggling not to freeze completely in places, and guiding fish to the deepest pools where they would be safe. I watched these humans battle with the elements and saw how little they were managing to trap and gather. Their old died and the ground was too hard to bury them; they lay them outside the cave mouth, left to be taken away by animals. Their children grew sick and the adults grew thin. I felt pity for them; they were obviously suffering and in danger of starving to death. But this was the way of things; nature is cruel at times, so I did nothing.

"Then one bitterly cold day the clan came to me and laid their youngest children on the ice of my river. I realised that they meant to expose them, choosing for their weakest offspring a quick death, instead of the suffering they would endure. I was horrified and shamed by their actions. They were clad in the meanest tattered skins and looked at their children struggling on the ice with hollow eyes, their infants too weak to cry and the adults too weak to morn them. I appeared to them as a dragon; they thought I was going to eat them and welcomed the quick end I would bring to them. Sickened, I told them firmly that I did not desire their flesh and that there was no need to let the elements claim their children. I would provide them with enough fish to see them through the winter and when they were strong enough I would show them new techniques for hunting and preserving what they gathered so they would not go hungry another winter. I did what I did out of pity, and did not foresee that in interfering with the natural way of things I had just made myself an all powerful and benevolent deity to them. They started to worship me."

He paused and ran his fingers through his hair nervously, Chihiro noticed his speech pattern had changed, becoming more florid and eloquent but definitely not the way he spoke now. She guessed he was regressing slightly as he told the story. She had no clue where he was going with it, but found the tale fascinating, none the less.

"I found it amusing at first and accepted their offerings of food and flowers with a kind of conceited condescension. I began to become more involved with them; talking to the children I liked best as they seemed to have no fear of me. But I must admit I also enjoyed plotting to bring certain young people together, thinking I would be helping if I encouraged the strongest members of the clan to breed. I even started appearing to people who came to my banks to pray. I knew in my heart I should not be encouraging them; the tribe was thriving and they had no real need of me anymore. But I found them entertaining and I was helping them. Things were amicable between us for a few years; they respected me and I accepted and helped them when I felt like it.

"Then one summer a comet appeared in the sky; it burned in the heavens for fourteen nights and this, for reasons beyond my comprehension, terrified them. Suddenly they were all praying to me at once, begging me to aid them in whatever disaster the fire in the heavens pertained to. I told those I appeared to that it was merely a natural phenomenon, nothing more. Some believed me, others did not and still feared for the future. I distanced myself from the doomsayers; that only seemed to encourage them as they started sacrificing animals on my banks in an effort to gain favour with me once more. I was not overly worried about this, the blood fertilised the river plants, the taste was not unpleasant, and it seemed to make them happy. I did nothing, but neither did I encourage them. They seemed to grow tired of it when they realised it did not gain them anything. I trusted that they had learned their lesson. But humans are nothing if not stubborn creatures.

"The first human was sacrificed to me that winter. They stripped naked and drugged this poor girl, in the prime of her youth; trussed her up and pushed her into my deepest pool to drown. I appeared to them with the girl in my coils and demanded that they end this foolishness. They retrieved the girl and I thought that was an end to the matter. However, on the next full moon they tried again, this time with a four year old child. I was furious with them; how could they so casually throw lives at me when I had depleted my rivers resources to support their measly lives over the years? I returned every sacrifice that was human but the more I rejected the more they became convinced that they must try harder to appease me so I would save them from doom. I withdrew myself further from them, only speaking to the children now. This seemed to make them all the more desperate. On the next full moon dozens of animals were sacrificed. I grew sick from all the blood in the water and had to enlist the aid of an air spirit to make it rain. Three days it took to wash away the smell and taste of blood from my river. I decided that I should sever all ties with them; such blood thirsty creatures they had become with little regard for life and I no longer wished to associate with them. I knew I was partly to blame but did not wish to admit it.

"All was quiet for a time, then the equinox came. There was such a number of animal sacrifices they where cutting the poor beasts throats for over an hour. My river ran almost black with the amount of blood that poured into it, fish and amphibians died, and the local spirits fled. They even threw the carcases into the water. Such a fury awoke in me that I could not contain it; I burned with outrage. How dare they pollute me thus when I had saved them! I crawled out of the water in dragon form they all fell to their knees when the saw me, grovelling on the blood soaked bank. I was revolted at the spectacle; prostrated before me they begged my assistance. Hatred filled me. I roared that I would have nothing more to do with them or their filthy kind ever again. They cowered before me and just to make sure they never bothered me again I grabbed the nearest of my worshipers and… and killed him."

"What?" hissed Chihiro, hardly believing her ears.

Haku closed his eyes and he had to tell her all, though it pained him deeply to do so. He would spare her no detail.

"I killed him," he repeated quietly, looking at her steadily. "I took him by the throat and ripped it out. Then I tore him limb from limb. He was just a boy; one I had spoken to in happier times. When I had finished there was very little left of him." Haku swallowed, his voice breaking, but he continued.

"I told them all that the next person who came to the banks of my river would suffer the same fate. The threat worked and they all ran screaming from me, never to return. I could hardly credit what I had done; to compensate, I immersed myself in my river and its workings, abandoning the physical world altogether for some time. I was not punished for my actions, most of the local spirits thought I had been just in my reaction and some wondered why I had not killed them all.

"But I could not forget that child's terrified screams; they haunted me constantly at first but as time went on I heard them less. I never could forget him though. The boy was not the first or last I killed but I have always done so in self-defence and I had never taken a human life before or since. Worst of all, the boy had been innocent of anything save annoying me. Time passed and the tribe moved on. Maybe that comet really did predict their doom after all. A different clan of humans arrived a hundred years later, but I ignored them completely. I let them fish, swim and clean their clothes within me but never showed myself to them. Even when people occasionally got into trouble I let the water claim them. I have forgotten how many have drowned within me, Chihiro."

Chihiro's bottom lip trembled and she closed her eyes for a moment, not caring if people saw her distress. Her mind grappled with the enormity of what he had told her.

_Haku is a murderer! _

Her mind shielded away from that thought, and especially that word. She knew his temper and his nature and could understand how his younger, more inexperienced, less worldly self could have been pushed into such an act. But her mind still returned to the fact he had killed, and not in self-preservation; this had been a blameless boy. She slowly opened her eyes, too distraught even for tears. At least now some mysteries were resolved.

"I guess that is why you now hate to be worshipped," she whispered.

"Yes," he replied, and I have more to tell you and it won't be easy for you to hear.

"More?" she whimpered. "I don't know if my heart can take anymore."

"I must tell you," he insisted. "You must know all if you are to give yourself to me."

It took her all the strength she had to nod at his words but in reality all she wanted to do was scream at him for hiding such things from her until now.

"I thought that caring about the human race was futile. They were irredeemable, violent and cruel. They had turned me into something I abhorred and I could not forgive them for that. I hid myself from them, as many spirits have done and still do to this day. I would not even help the suicidal; though it pained me that they chose to end their lives I did nothing but observe. I was terrified of involving myself again; maybe they would force me to kill again."

"Why was I different?" asked Chihiro, suddenly angry. "Why save me and let others die!" she hissed. She sounded bitter and Haku could not blame her.

"I began to take an interest in human kind again. They started to build large houses on my flood plain. I began to notice how much they had changed. They were primitives no longer and the society they had created for themselves seemed stable most of the time. They also began to pollute me. Nothing I could not handle, a few chemicals and some effluent. I began to watch them closely; these were educated and clever beings I realised, and that made my shame all the greater. After a few decades of just watching, you fell into me. I was presented with a choice; either carry on as I had before or face my past acts and try to atone in some small way. There was something about you that jerked me out of my apathy; what it was I can't say, but it is unique to you.

"I took the form of a dragon to fly you through the water and then the form of a human boy so I would not scare you while we waited for your parents to find you. I'd never taken human form before and found it a pleasing way to exist in the physical world. You were quite talkative and showed no fear of me or showed any reverence. It was brought home to me how grave a thing I had done by killing one of your number. I realised also that the shame I felt at my actions was greater than I had thought. The human form I had taken to appear to you in was that of the boy I had killed. I've worn this human form ever since; it's almost like I can make him live again through me. After you left I became very remorseful but it was 7000 years too late. So when the diggers arrived to fill me in, I welcomed my own destruction. I was most disappointed when I did not die.

"The rest you know; Yubaba found me, distressed and desolate, and I forgot everything apart from you and your name. You were the first human I had had contact with in centuries. When you gave me back my name I had to deal with all the memories I'd quite happily forgotten." He paused, searching her face, gauging her reaction. "I've done little to earn the love of humans, Chihiro and yet here I am at my own mating ceremony about to take one as my own, if she still wants me. I think fate must be laughing at me." He fell silent and his shoulders slumped, finished at last.

Chihiro blinked. Did he expect her to say something? What could she say?

"_There, there Haku, so you're a killer, I don't mind."_

But she did mind; her beautiful white dragon had hated her kind and murdered a child. She had never, even in his darkest moments, thought him capable of such things. At least he felt remorse; that was a good thing. It would have been much worse if he had rejoiced or worse still shown indifference. He had always been so kind to her, which was one of the things she loved about him; his gentle nature. Even this was thrown into a new light; perhaps he was so tolerant of her because of his guilt and shame. Wanting to make amends with her for past wrongs to human kind as a whole. It made her shudder to think that this human form that she found so attractive was originally that of a boy who died thousands of years before. The thought chilled her to the bone. Had her love for him been built on such shaky foundations? Did she love a person he had conjured for her benefit rather than what he truly was?

"_No, of course not!"_ she told herself. She knew his temperament and his animal side. She understood that he did not have the moral compass she had. She looked at his sad, lonely eyes, full of ancient hurt and confusion. Those eyes were his own, no matter what form he wore and she seriously doubted that the people of stone-age Japan had green highlights in their hair.

"_Lady, help me, I still love him."_ But somehow whether she loved him or not was no longer the issue. His confession had left her in doubt, but not of her own feelings. What was damaged was her, until now, unshakable belief that he loved her. She needed to be sure.

"Are you sure," she said quietly, "that all this," she gestured to the hall with a sweep of her arm, "is not just another way to help you forgive yourself? Are you certain you are not confusing love with a sense of obligation?" He frowned, as if he had not been expecting the question. But he answered her promptly.

"No," he said vehemently.

"How can you be so definite about it? You saved me out of a sense of guilt. It follows that you may make me your mate out of that same guilt."

"I know how I feel," he almost growled. "I know that I can't be without you. You are the mate I was destined to have. I love you with every fibre of my being. I do want to atone for my past but loving you was never part of that. It happened completely unexpectedly and it changed my life and what I saw as my place in the world." He took her hand, relieved that she did not pull away from him. The cut on her hand had stopped bleeding but it was still red and sore. She looked utterly confused and seemed to be waging some sort of inner war with herself. He wanted to help her and if that meant letting her go then so be it.

"You can leave now if you wish. The dishonour will be mine, not yours. You don't have to ever see me again if that is what you want."

"Don't be so melodramatic!" snapped Chihiro, irritated. "If you think what you have told me has changed my feelings at all then you don't know me at all and it is you who should leave!"

"You have forgiven me?" his voice sounding thin and squeaky.

"No," she replied; his face fell.

"I love you and want to be with you but I can't forgive you, not until you have forgiven yourself." Haku could not believe what he was hearing.

"But surely what I have told you bothers you!"

"Of course it does, not only have you ripped someone apart but I've been making love to a dead boy. At this precise moment I'm not sure which is worse; I've had you with me all this time and you are wearing the form of someone who you killed and was never allowed to reach adulthood. You said yourself, it's like he is living through you. You've aged him for my benefit… my head is really having problems with this one… on so many levels it is wrong but… My old therapist would have loved to get her claws into you!" Then she shrugged.

"Stranger things have happened to me since I have been here. I'm shocked and angry at you that you have kept all this to yourself but… I still want to be with you… which probably says more about my mental state than it does yours." She squeezed his hand gently.

"I don't know how to forgive myself," he muttered. Chihiro smiled.

"Well you have the rest my life time to figure that out. I'll help you if I can." She sighed and exhaled noisily, her pent up tension relaxing. "Can we get mated now, or is there something else you are burning to tell me?"

"No," he whispered with a slight smile.

"Good because I've heard enough today I think. I'm not sure how I feel about it all yet but give me time…" She frowned for a moment. "Did I ever say thank you?"

"For what?" he asked, completely lost now.

"For rescuing me." He thought back for a moment, holding his head on one side.

"Yes, you did."

"Oh, well I better say it again just to be sure." She stepped forward and softly brushed her lips over his.

"Thank you," she whispered and stepped back.

"You are supposed to do that after the ceremony!" he exclaimed.

"I really could not care less," she declared.

The lady had obviously got the crowd under control because when the silence spell was removed Chihiro could only hear a few hushed whispers.

"I hardly think I need to ask you, Chihiro, but have you decided to proceed?" asked the goddess.

"I have," replied Chihiro. The lady took Chihiro's left hand and Haku's right hand and pressed the two cuts together. Chihiro gasped as pure raw magic shot through her body.

"These two are life mates. They share the same flesh and share the same blood and are of but one mind, now and forever," the lady announced, her throbbing voice filling the temple.

Chihiro felt as if she were on the verge of fainting as wave upon wave of ancient wild magic assaulted her senses. Her Tac'Tal grew hot; her hair sticks rattled in her pocket and Zeniba's band grew cold. Ice shot up her spine and her brow beaded with sweat.

Suddenly it stopped. She trembled as she pulled her hand way from Haku's. On the back of her hand was a scar, a long thin scar that looked years old, except it was gold. It glittered in the light but when she touched it, it felt like normal scar tissue. She saw Haku had an identical mark. It was then she realised she was not alone inside her own skin. He was there, in the back of her mind, a warm loving presence who was feeling a little giddy right now and could hardly believe she had gone through with the ceremony.

"_This will take some getting used to,"_ she thought to herself.

"_It will, but you'll learn to shield most of your thoughts from me. I understand that it could get very annoying if we always knew what we were thinking."_

Chihiro was struck dumb with wonder. She had talked to him without words before but this was different; she did not even have to think her words at him, he knew what she was going to say as soon as she did. She was amazed to discover that the same was true for her also, reading everything that passed through his mind as easily as if the was reading a book. And there was a lot going on, so much information; too much. It was not just him, but his river too. She could not read its thoughts exactly, but she could sense that it was content. Sounds and scents that her dull human senses had never been aware of were now hers to explore but she did not know what to do with all that she was now aware of. She was getting a headache. She pulled back a little, relieved she could quiet down the noise of his mind.

"_Well I'm a god, I can't help it if my mind is busy!"_ he protested.

"_We are going to be a wonderfully quiet couple if we always talk like this,"_ she commented.

"_It won't always be this way and I think vocal chatter is overrated anyway."_

"If you two are quite finished?" snapped the goddess. They both switched their attention back to the world of the physical. Chihiro blushed when a stray, unguarded thought played across her mate's mind as he looked at her.

"_Stop it!"_ she thought at him. He shrugged and told her not to read his mind if she did not want to know what he was thinking.

"Now, Haku, you can kiss your mate, again," the goddess chuckled

The hall erupted with clapping and cheers as Chihiro and Haku reached for each other. But there was a puddle on the floor between them. Haku felt his mate ponder the oddity of it; it looked like water but the dragon's nose told him it was something different. The both turned to look at the Goddess. The lady had her hand on her distended abdomen and her eyes were wide with surprise.

"No!" said Chihiro out loud. "Not now!" The lady grimaced. Chihiro imagined that standing in front of the entire population of the bathhouse with the fluid from her broken waters running down her legs was embarrassing even for her. The lord seemed frozen to the spot. The goddess swallowed.

"What do I do?" she whimpered.

* * *

**A/N) just to say replies on livejournal as F.F has officially banned review replied on the stories and I want to reply to all the anonymous reviews too which the new reply system does not allow. **


	7. The Rhythm of Life

**A/N- I know, I know, nearly a month between updates. However I have had a damn good excuse I was on 6 weeks of teaching practice. Still the holidays are here, and as a way to wind down I've typed out the next chapter and my faithful beta has cast her eye over it. Sorry I took so long but my life interferes with my hobbies at times. It sucks but there you go… so the birth and a little bit of lime to add spice to the festive season (I could not help myself.) Enjoy. Replies on livejournal as always. And whether you celibate at this time of year or not I'm sending you all the warmest of wishes. **

_**The Rhythm of life. **_

Chihiro just stared at the distressed deity, then suddenly her brain decided to reassert itself after a prolonged absence. She mentally shoved everything aside mating; Haku; confession; they were all unimportant now. She stepped forward and took the wide eyed goddess by the elbow.

"We are going to take you to one of the smaller rooms," she soothed, "and try and make you comfortable." The dragon also seemed to have recovered from his shock and took the lady's other arm, helping her waddle from the dais the altar was on and out of a side door. The goddess's mate also seemed to have recovered and Chihiro heard his booming voice ordering everyone back to the bathhouse to enjoy the festivities.

Once in a small antechamber, Chihiro sat the lady in a comfortable chair.

"Thank you," the goddess whispered. "This is unexpected; I thought I had a few years left." She squeezed her violet eyes shut as the first contraction rippled down her stomach. When she caught her breath again she said, "It must have been all that ancient magic that was released with your mating; it's induced me."

Haku slipped out the door to find Zeniba and Chihiro's mother; he did so without her having to even ask him.

"Towels too!" she called out after him, just in case he had not read as much from her mind; she was still in a reasonable state of confusion and her thoughts had a tendency to scatter when she tried to focus.

"What are the towels for?" asked the goddess. Chihiro smiled at her warmly.

"Well, if you are going to have this baby the human way then it can get quite messy."

"Oh," said the goddess. "I had not really thought of the details yet, I thought I had time to…" She sighed and said, "I want a human mother's bond with my son, if that means I have to suffer the embarrassment of going into labour in front of my faithful then so be it."

Chihiro said nothing but gave Haku a mental nudge to hurry back. She had done many things she had never thought she could in the spirit world but she was not sure her skills would extend to midwifery.

"I'm sorry," whispered the goddess.

"For what?"

"For ruining your mating."

"Nonsense," said Chihiro and stepped behind the goddess to braid back her long raven hair to keep it out the way.

"You've ruined nothing; babies keep to their own time. He's probably wanting to join in with the feast!" Chihiro chuckled, trying to lift the lady's spirits. "You of all people should know that when nature calls it shouts." The Goddess smiled weakly and took the human's left hand, resting it on her shoulder and covering it with her own.

"I was worried about you," she said softly. "Whatever he told you it came as quite a blow, I could tell by the look on your face. I thought for a moment that you would walk out on him."

Chihiro sighed heavily.

"I'm not letting off the hook yet," she mumbled. "It was very wrong of him to hide such a thing from me. But what he told me did not change how I felt about him and what he did happened a very long time ago. I think he has made himself suffer about it more than I ever could."

The Goddess nodded then her face twisted in pain; she started to pant as another, slightly stronger contraction griped her.

"So close together already?" Chihiro mumbled, trying to ignore the fact that the goddess was squeezing her fingers hard enough to crush them.

"It's the magic!" the goddess gasped. "I wanted to give birth in my winter palace," she whimpered.

"Never mind," said Chihiro with false brightness. She freed her fingers and finished the goddess's hair. A few moments after that Zeniba and her mother arrived.

Both of them were carrying thick velvet drapes and silk alter cloths.

"It's the best we could find," panted Yuuko. Chihiro rummaged around the room and found some meditation cushions. She spread them on the floor and covered them with the drapes.

"Very few babies are born into such luxury" said Zeniba cheerfully as they helped the goddess lay down on the cushions. "Lets see how far along we are, with your permission Great Lady."

The goddess nodded, now sweating and obviously in a lot of pain. Chihiro continued to hold the lady's small, delicate hand as Zeniba lifted the Goddess's robes and peered beneath them.

"Oh it won't be long now," she said happily. "Be glad you will have such a short labour; mine was 6 hours."

"Mine was 14," said Yuuko.

"I don't know how you managed," panted the goddess.

"A wonderful thing called an epidural," said Yuuko with a smile. "It's a pity you don't have them here."

"That is hardly helpful, Mum," muttered Chihiro. "And when did you have a baby Zeniba?"

"Oh, I've had two, back when I was still young looking. I had long blond hair and a waistline," she cackled. "That was just before the bathhouse was built."

The Goddess whimpered with the start of another contraction and then she abandoned any sense of propriety and howled. At the back of her mind, Chihiro could feel Haku wince at the sound, the high pitch hurting his sensitive ears. He was sat in the corridor with the lord, who was pacing up and down.

"Why is your mate not here with you?" asked Chihiro, when the contraction had passed. "Surely you would feel better with him here?"

"Useless idiot," growled the goddess. "I'll never let him touch me again!"

"It's traditional not to have a male in the birthing room," explained Zeniba. Chihiro decided that was one tradition she would break. If she was in labour, she definitely wanted Haku there so she could squeeze his figures to bits and blame all her pain on him. The dragon was amused at this but was mainly preoccupied with the pacing god. The goddess moaned, bringing Chihiro's attention back to her.

Over the next two hours the goddess panted, wailed and growled her way through her contractions and Chihiro had very little feeling left in her fingers.

"Ah, here we go," said Zeniba finally. "The head is crowning; two good pushes and it will be all over Great Lady." The goddess ground her teeth together and pushed, shaking with the effort.

"That's it; nearly there," said Zeniba soothingly. "You're doing wonderfully my lady, one more push and it's all finished."

"I can't," sobbed the Goddess, tears mingling with the sweat droplets that covered her blue skinned face. "I'm so tired."

"YOU CAN!" said all three women in unison. The goddesses lip trembled and she buried her face in Chihiro's kimono. Then she screamed with frustration as she put the last of her strength into bringing her son into the world.

"Again!" cried Zeniba.

"You said I only had to push once more!" yelled the deity, accusingly.

"I lied," snapped the witch, "Now put some effort into it; thousands of humans do this every day and you're ready to give up after only a few hours. Stop complaining and PUSH!"

Chihiro squeezed the goddess's hand encouragingly and vowed that she was not going to have children until she had forgotten the majority of all this. Childbirth was disgusting.

The goddess threw back her head and let out a high pitched and eerie scream that hurt Haku's ears terribly, making Chihiro flinch in sympathy. There was a sickening squelching sound and the child slid into the witch's waiting arms, closely followed by the mass of bloody afterbirth. The little boy was delicate and fine boned like his mother but a rather unappealing grey colour at that moment. Zeniba wrapped him in silks and dealt with the umbilical cord.

"Why isn't he crying?" asked Yuuko, concerned.

"He may not want to," said Zeniba as she brought the child to the goddess's waiting arms. Chihiro looked at the small face peeping from the silks and shuddered. The child's violet eyes were the image of his mother's, but they were not a baby's eyes. These eyes were self aware and intelligent; he was looking around the room with interest, taking in every detail.

"I'm down here!" snapped the goddess. "I've not just struggled to give birth to you only to be ignored now!"

Violet eyes met violet eyes. Something in the glance the two gave each other made Chihiro very envious and stirred something within her. Suddenly the baby's perfect small lips spread into a toothless, gummy smile. The goddess smiled back, her face radiant.

"This is Chihiro," she whispered throatily as her son's attention wondered again. The Eyes focused on her with cool interest. "She is your auntie," said the goddess gently. Chihiro was struck dumb by the honour; outside Haku fell off his precarious seat on a window ledge, realising what that must mean for him. Chihiro smiled; the dragon was terrified. "And this witch is Zeniba, an old friend of the family." Zeniba bowed to the child when its eyes fixed on her. "And this other human is Yuuko, Chihiro's mother." Yuuko just gaped at the child, seemingly unable to say anything when its searching gaze focused on her.

"And your name for now is Kisho, you will probably have many others." The newborn nodded once and Yuuko gave a squeak.

"He really does understand you!" she exclaimed.

"Of course he does," said the Goddess wearily. "He may have been born like a human child, but that was my choice. However, he is far from human; he understands everything we say; in a few months he will be speaking and walking. How he grows from then is up to him." She shrugged and struggled to sit up but had to be aided by Chihiro. "Hold him a moment while I clean myself up will you dear?" muttered the goddess, who seemed to be growing in strength. She carefully passed her son to Chihiro.

Chihiro cradled the newborn to her. The violet eyes regarded her curiously. His face was now a much better colour, she could see his skin's true tone was a very attractive honey brown.

"Hello," said Chihiro not wanting to be rude. "You kept your mother waiting a long time." The child pursed its lips as if to say he had not meant to. "Aren't you tired?" asked Chihiro. "I mean you've just been born and it can't have been easy for you." Tiny shoulders shrugged. "I'm really not sure what to say to you," admitted Chihiro. "I've never had a conversation with a 5 minute old baby before." He smiled and tilted his head as if to say he had never spoken to a human before either.

With a small amount of magic the goddess was cleaning her robes and disposing of the soiled cushions and drapes, but Chihiro hardly noticed. The child freed an arm and tiny fingers touched her cheek. The infant ran a hand over her lips and down her neck, wondering at its first touch of warm skin. His hand hovered over her Tac'Tal, which rested just blow her breastbone. One dark eyebrow quirked up, obviously an enquiry.

"My mate gave this to me," Chihiro said. The child did not seem satisfied with her explanation and frowned. "He is in the corridor with your father," she said hurriedly. Then a thought struck her. "We should probably introduce you to your Daddy!" she exclaimed. "I'm sure he's longing to meet you." The child nodded solemnly. "Shall I take him to your mate, lady?" Chihiro asked politely.

"Oh yes!" laughed the goddess. "I forgot about him. I'll be up and about in a moment then we can all go home; go away and let me get finished you two, shoo!" Chihiro stood, ensuring the child was held safely against her. One small fist clung to a lock of her hair as if he was worried he would be dropped.

"It's alright, I've got you," Chihiro cooed. Yuuko opened the door for her and they both stepped into the hallway. The god of the spirits was leaning against a wall; Haku was perched back in the windowsill. She ignored him for a moment; she had a duty to do first. The lord looked worried and dishevelled; there were dark circles under his eyes and his robes were rumpled and creased. Chihiro approached him carefully and presented him with the silk wrapped bundle in her arms.

"Your son, my lord," she said softly. Gingerly, the god lifted the infant from her arms. He seemed unsure how to hold the child and Chihiro helped him position his large hands so they supported the baby's head.

"Hello," said the God gruffly. "I'm your father." Then to Chihiro's complete amazement, he burst into tears.

"Isn't he perfect?" he sobbed.

"Yes," replied Chihiro, trying not to chuckle at the bemused look on the child's face. "All babies are"

"Ours, especially," said the goddesses voice. She shuffled into the hallway. She still had a large stomach but apart from that she hardly looked like she had just given birth. Her robes and hair were perfect once more; she was not even flushed. She slipped an arm around her mate and smiled at him.

"Thank you, all of you," she said with a sigh and gestured for them to step forward. Haku and the three women did as she bid. She turned to Haku who was looking almost as fresh as she was despite the trials of his mating mere hours before.

"Dragon, as your human is an auntie I guess that makes you an uncle." The dragon bowed, saying nothing. Chihiro saw his thoughts clearly, however; he was unsure he wanted such a position of responsibility or whether he even deserved it. He and the child looked at each other and Chihiro felt his emotions shift and his natural protective instincts rising to the surface. Chihiro smiled to herself; he would make a good father when the time came but she had no illusions over who was going to have to instil discipline into any offspring they had. The dragon would be truly hopeless in that department. Chihiro snapped her attention back to the goddess as she began to speak.

"… and I don't know how I will repay you all for your kind help. I'll think of a way eventually but for now I am in all of your debt. We must be taking our leave now and you all still have a celebration to attend."

And without another word, the new family faded away to nothing.

Chihiro took a deep breath and felt the tiredness hit her like a sledgehammer. She felt completely mentally and physically drained from the day's events. Strong arms wound around her middle. She jumped, for a moment remembering where those arms had come from. She scolded herself, feeling her mate's hurt in her mind and she forced herself to relax leaning back into his chest. After a moment her anxiety faded, and she sighed with contentment. Zeniba took that moment to take Chihiro's mother by the arm.

"Let's go and find your husband and leave the young ones to themselves." Yuuko nodded and they strolled away up the corridor.

Haku turned Chihiro around slowly, making his movements very deliberate so not to startle her. He could feel her distress and tiredness and had no intention of adding to it. However she was his mate now and he had no intention of keeping his hands off her either. He distanced himself as much as possible from her thoughts knowing she was still uncomfortable with this new intimacy. She would learn to adapt to it but at that moment she was overwrought and needed space. He understood but he did not have to like it. She faced him, her dark eyes unsure. She was not as perfectly turned out as she had been a few hours ago but she was still ravishing. A few of her scales had fallen from her cheeks, making her look as if she was about to start shedding. He gave her a warm smile and gently brushed the scales from her face. She smiled back at him weakly. He sighed inwardly; he really would have to take the gentle approach if he ever wanted to touch her without her shuddering.

He realised that he had essentially betrayed her trust, but not intentionally and that was why she had gone ahead with things. He could not help what he was and how could he have known things would ever go this far between them? It was only after his proposal that he had realised that he was going to have to be a little more open with her but he had never seemed to find the right moment to tell her of his past. In the end he had ignored things until it was too late and he was standing before her confessing to murder. Well things would be a little different from now on, but for the moment she was in his arms and he had to show her that she had been missed. He pulled her a little closer and she tentatively rested her cheek against his chest.

"I've not held you in nearly three days," he said softly into her hair. "I thought I would go slightly insane if I did not have you in my arms again by the end of the ceremony. I don't honestly know what I would have done if you had…" he tailed off as she nuzzled into his neck.

"I thought about it," she whispered. "Then I realised that it did not matter what you had done or what form you took. I love you and that means all of you, even the animal in you." She smiled against his neck. "If that means I'm a necrophiliac then so be it." Haku knew she was teasing him some how but the joke was beyond him, he would ask Linca when he had a chance; or maybe it would be better not to know.

"I know you only love me for my money," he replied glibly. He felt her smile again then she raised her head and looked up at him, her face serious.

"This will take some getting used to, Haku; not just what you told me but everything." She tapped her forehead with her index finger. "I've never had someone in my head before and while it is nice to be close to you it's… well… strange." He nodded; understanding, and reluctantly slipped his arms from around her. She frowned.

"I must be harder to read than I thought. What are you doing?"

"I'm trying my best not to read your very noisy human thoughts and giving you a bit of space, like you asked."

Chihiro laughed at the confused looking dragon and felt herself warm towards him.

"I was asking you to go slow, Haku but that is positively glacial." She took his hands and firmly placed them on her back then she rose onto her toes and kissed him tenderly. The dragon felt a flood of relief and returned her kiss just as gently, stealing her breath. She broke away from him abruptly and yawned into his kosode. It was his turn to chuckle.

"This is supposed to be the most romantic night of our lives and you're exhausted."

"Sorry," she mumbled, "it's been a long day." She rested her head under his chin. She felt the pulse in his throat beating slowly and she let her eyes slide shut.

A wave of magic washed over her, making her gasp and cling to her mate. When she opened her eyes her surroundings were very different. She was standing on sparkling black stone studded with quartz, with walls and ceiling carved from the same stone. Soft green light seeped into the room through crystal windows and a sturdy hardwood bed dominated the room. It was huge, the biggest bed she had ever seen. The covers were cream satin and the finest woollen blankets lay over them to shield the bed's occupants from the chill of a cavern in winter. The fire place at the end of the room roared into life, sending shadows flickering across the room.

"Do you like it?" Haku murmured in her ear. "There is another one just like it back at the bathhouse."

"I think I'll get lost in it," Chihiro smirked. Then she frowned. "But what about the festival? All those people are expecting us to…"

"Do you really want to go?" he interrupted. "You were hardly enthusiastic about it before and now you are hardly in a frame of mind to deal with the gossips and the sycophants. Besides the feast will be well finished by now and the ball in full swing."

"Well… if you put it like that…" She really had not been looking forward to the throng of people she would have to socialise with after the ceremony. The lady and Haku had given her the perfect excuse not to go. She was human and so got tired easily. Haku, now being her mate, had wanted to care for her properly and whisked her away from everyone. Well, it would not convince her family but it had enough truth in it for everyone else to swallow. So she had managed to wiggle her way out of the party; that was great; but she had one regret. She would miss having the opportunity to dance with her beautiful white dragon.

Picking up on her thoughts he said, "Why not dance with me now?

"What? Here?" she scoffed. "In your bedroom?"

"It's **our** bedroom now, and why not?" Chihiro blinked and looked up into his enchanting green eyes; there was a playfulness there but also something much more serious. There was also a smug smirk on his sinful lips that practically dared her to accept his challenge.

"But there is no music!" she protested.

"Silly human," he whispered. "Your senses are no longer as limited as they once were." He tilted his head toward her and his sweet breath caressed her cheek. "Close your eyes and simply listen and you will hear what I hear." She frowned at him. It was true she had been aware of more since the ceremony, but she thought that was her receiving the information from him and not her own senses. His smile broadened. "Believe what I say little one, just listen."

He let his fingers trail gently over her eyelids, making her close her eyes. She sighed and let her mind grow quiet. She did not strain her hearing, instead she simply let the sounds around her seep into her and little by little the cavern began to sing to her. Water was dripping from the roof of the cave into the lake below, setting a slow steady rhythm. The far off waterfall that emptied into the hot spring provided a barely audible counterpoint and the lake water itself sighed and whispered against its black beaches. The smile that slowly spread across Chihiro's face was angelic. Pure joy rushed through her at this discovery. The spirit world would perhaps be a little less of mystery to her now. Haku took her hands and rested them on his shoulders, then he slipped his arms slowly around her waist, not wanting to break her concentration by surprising her.

"Dance with me, Chihiro," he whispered huskily.

Chihiro did not refuse him; she could not; the river whispered to her and her feet started to move. They twisted and turned slowly in perfect time with the cavern's music. Gracefully they span in each others arms. Finally Chihiro opened her eyes and looked up into her mate's face. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt her steps falter slightly as she lost herself in their emerald depths.

_Turn, twist, spin._

He leant forward and caught her lips with his, slowly and deliberately kissing her. His mouth coaxing hers until her lips parted and his tongue slipped wickedly into her mouth. Her fingers buried themselves into the black silk of his kosode. She wanted to feel skin rather than the fabric. Haku's fingers moved of their own accord to her obi and started to loosen it. They kept dancing.

_Twist, spin, turn._

She slipped her fingers beneath his kosode, slid the garment over his shoulders and it fell to the floor silently. Her obi soon joined it and her kimono swiftly followed. It was a relief to get rid of the constrictive clothing and their eyes and hands wondered over each other. Haku kissed his way down Chihiro's neck making, her shudder when his teeth grazed her skin. He smiled against her neck at her reaction and growled slightly.

"Behave yourself," she murmured into his chest.

"Really?" he mumbled as he pulled at her hair, deftly removing pins and ornaments and letting them clatter to the floor.

"No, not really," she sighed. He grinned and slipped the straps of her vest top over her shoulders and kissed them as he did so. He loosened the laces on his haori but he did not remove them. Chihiro read the message easily in his thoughts. Things did not have to go any further this night if she did not wish it; they could finish their dance and go to bed or she could finish undressing him. The choice was hers and Chihiro thought it showed great restraint on his part. Her bond with him told her that his body was practically aching for her, so much so that she could practically hear the throb of his quickening pulse.

He felt her make up her mind.

"Touch me," he begged in a whisper and he shuddered as she ran her hand down the perfect skin of his chest.

_Spin, turn, twist. _

Her fingers curled into the top of his haori and she pulled them off quickly. She giggled as she had to help him step from them but he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her. She slipped her vest over her head and he helped her rid herself of the rest of her ridiculous underwear. They kept dancing; their bodies pressed against each other, feeling every movement, every breath, and every heartbeat. Suddenly they stopped dancing. They both stood still clasped close to each other breathing hard. Finally Chihiro let her tongue trace a line up the dragon's neck and she nibbled his ear lobe.

"I want you," she breathed hotly against the shell of his ear. That was all he needed to know. He gently pushed his mate onto the bed and covered her body with his own and they started a much older, more primitive dance.


	8. Bloodlust

**A/N- Ok after being berated by my official illustrator and beta I have come round to their way of thinking. Spending over two hours on review replies is madness especially when I am so busy. So I will use the reply system for those I can and will post replies on my livejournal for those not signed in. If I don't manage to reply to you please do notbe offended, I've done my best till now but I just don't have the time I used to. I'm sure you would rather I spend the time writing. So for the last time all the replies are on my livejournal. **

**This ismy last fluff chapter. After this I will at last get onto the plot. Enjoy.**

**_Bloodlust _**

Chihiro sighed happily; she was ankle deep in lake water. It was cool but not cold and gave her a pleasant chill between her toes. The lake water gurgled contentedly with the contact, sending playful eddies spinning between her feet. Haku was still asleep; she could feel his slumbering but warm presence at the back of her mind. The Nygel standing beside the human female was as happy to have her attention as the water was. Chihiro was rhythmically pulling a fine-toothed comb through his thick coat, removing the parasites that plagued him so. As usual, the mischievous horse spirit was in a chatty mood.

"Do you feel any different being _officially_ Mistress Chihiro now?" he whickered.

"Not really," she replied dreamily. "I'm just glad it's all over. The bond between us has taken a few days to get used to, but now we are not continually aware of each other's thoughts, it's much easier to live with. Haku respects the privacy of my mind and I his."

"So, no new airs and graces then? You have effectively just elevated yourself by mating one of the most powerful on the plain."

Chihiro laughed. "I wish everyone would stop telling him that he is so powerful; his ego is big enough as it is."

The Nygel snorted, velvet nostrils quivering. Then he closed his adorable brown eyes and luxuriated in the grooming he was getting, head dropping a little. Chihiro continued to comb his bay coat and had moved onto his fair mane she reflected that this was not really any normal colouring for a horse. The combination of light and dark was unusual especially when combined with his white socks and flash. But he still looked horsy enough to pass as a normal horse. If he had been bright blue he would have found it much harder to blend in.

"So when can I teach your children how to ride?" he whinnied suddenly, obviously excited by the idea. His head came up so quickly he struck Chihiro under the chin, making her teeth clack together painfully.

"Owww!"

"Sorry," mumbled the water horse. Chihiro frowned at the spirit while rubbing her jaw.

"I don't think I'll be letting my children ride you, Nygel," she hissed between her aching teeth. "I don't mean to offend you but they will have baths aplenty without you dunking them in the lake."

"You think I would do such a thing!" whinnied the Nygel in protest. His forelegs plunged in the water a little as if he wanted to rear back; he splashed lake water all over his human companion.

"Yes. I don't think you would be able to help yourself." The Nygel laid his ears flat against his head bared his teeth at the human.

"Don't get all moralistic on me now!" chuckled Chihiro, tapping his shoulder with the comb. The angry spirit did not intimidate her, Haku would gut him if he even grazed her skin, and the river was already growing restless around her feet. The Nygel would certainly be able feel the warning in the water.

"I would never treat you or your children in such a way," he managed to nicker from behind his clenched teeth. He tossed his head again and fixed her with his most adorable and appealing stare. "Ride me now; get on my back and see if I don't keep my word!" Chihiro felt her heart pulled towards the spirit, but she was used to him by now and could ignore the urge to swing up onto his back, wrap that fair mane in her hands and tear around the lake at a gallop.

"I'd rather not," she said firmly. "I've told you before that I can't ride well and I would not want to tempt you in such a way." She sighed as the spirit snorted at her and tossed his head; even going so far as to stick out his bottom lip like a petulant child. "Besides," she continued, "there will be no children for a while yet. I have an infertility spell on me; when it wears off, maybe we'll think about starting a family, but we both have too much to do right now."

"I see," said the water horse stiffly, flicking his fair tail dismissively. Chihiro stepped back and admired her handiwork. The Nygel's bay coat gleamed and his almost blond mane and tail were weed free and untangled. He trotted out of the water and up the black sand beach. Without a word he pawed at the sand several times and then rolled over in the little hollow he had made, kicking his legs in the air and snorting defiantly. When he stood again his coat was plastered with black sand and his mane and tail more closely resembled rat's nests, the coarse strands knotted and matted.

Chihiro stared open mouthed at the spirit.

"Why, you nasty little LEACH!" she cried when she finally found her voice. The water horse whinnied a taunting laugh and bared his teeth at her again; this time Chihiro knew he was grinning at her. Revenge complete, the horse cantered to the shoreline and jumped gracefully into the dark lake water without making a splash.

"Is this all because I won't ride you?" Chihiro shouted over the mirror-like lake water. There was no response; not so much as a bubble broke the waters surface.

"Fine! Be like that!" she yelled. "But don't come crying to me when you're so itchy you can't even swim!" She grasped the comb and threw it into the lake after him. "Let's see you use _that_ without any fingers! I hope you go bald from mange!" she ranted.

"Is all this really necessary?" drawled Haku's satin smooth voice. "As pretty as you are when you're angry, you are making quite a spectacle of yourself." Chihiro turned around so fast she nearly lost her footing and the lake had to support her until she regained her balance. Her life mate was sitting on a black boulder, torso unclothed. In fact the only thing he seemed to be wearing was a pair of black, exceptionally tight breeches. Chihiro's angry retort died on her lips. He smirked, sensing the swing in her emotions.

"Aren't those…?" she trailed off.

"I believe you called them "pornographically tight," when you were rummaging through my wardrobe. You always complain I don't wear half the clothes I own," he said innocently. He jumped down from the bolder and pirouetted gracefully for her to inspect him, giving her an uninterrupted view of his well muscled legs and rump. "Does madam approve?" he asked lightly, turning to face her again. Chihiro managed to mentally kick herself and prevent the denizens of Haku's river the pleasure of seeing her drool at her mate's feet.

"They are nice," she commented blandly. He raised one dark eyebrow.

"Just nice?" He was obviously very aware of the effect he was having on her.

"Alright, they are very nice but I think you should consider restricting yourself to your river when you are dressed like that. If you went around dressed like that at the bathhouse, the yunnas may try to rape you." He chuckled and walked towards her; the water gurgled as he stepped into it, sighing with contentment at the contact with the physical part of itself. He took her hands, kneading them gently with his fingers until they relaxed in his own.

"_Come back to the house,"_ his voice purred in her mind. _"The Nygel is obviously unworthy of your attention. That means you can lavish all the more on me."_ He pulled at her left hand and started to stroll slowly up the beach. She tottered after him feeling a little dazed.

"_We've hardly left the house in three days, Haku,"_ she commented.

"_Is that a complaint?"_ His voice echoed softly around her mind sending a shiver of ice up her spine.

"_No,"_ she replied, _"merely an observation."_

"_Good." _He started up the steep cliff steps and Chihiro could not help her eyes dropping to his black fabric clad legs.

"How did you get those things on?" she wondered out loud.

"It's a closely guarded secret," he replied. "But if you are a very good girl I'll show you how to take them off."

Haku sensed his mate's flaming blush even though he had his back to her. It was appealing to him that he could still make her blush; after all she was hardly innocent anymore. Well, on a certain level she was, but that was just the way she was. His little human would probably always be a little naive and innocent and it was a quality he cherished in her. Her thinking was becoming more and more unguarded as her embarrassment heightened. She was contemplating on how apt Linca's description of him was_. "Sex on legs,"_ the sprite had called him. Haku grinned wolfishly; he was pleased his mate thought he was living up to that particular description of himself.

* * *

Eventually the time came to return. Chihiro felt as if she had only barely begun to relax after four days away but they both had things to do back at the bathhouse. On her return, as she predicted, her sisters and parents were slightly put out by her "ditching" them as Linca so eloquently put it. However, they seemed to understand that she had needed to get away for a short while after everything she had been through. 

Her parents returned home two days after her return, seemingly happy with her situation. She still thought the relationship between her father and her mate would always be a little strained but the two of them were at least civil in each others company.

Chihiro's life settled into a contented rhythm. She rose early, but not intolerably so. Haku made her coffee while she took a shower, installed at her request. In fact she had redecorated the whole apartment, making it much more homely or "cluttered" as her mate put it. They breakfasted together while discussing the days' work ahead of them, after that going their separate ways; him to perform the morning inspection while the guests slept, her to her new office two floors down where she pawed over accounts and orders, with Meeka providing tea at 11am sharp. Depending who got to her first she either had lunch with her mate or her sisters, On rare occasions she would get them all to eat together, but that usually resulted in Haku having his buttons pushed by her merciless sisters and Chihiro having to kick him under the table to remind him that he had to grin and bear it. The two seemed totally impervious to the murderous looks he gave them, and Chihiro usually left the table with burning indigestion. Still, they would never learn unless she kept trying, even if she ended up with an ulcer as a result. They could all get along when they wished to and Chihiro suspected that all three actually enjoyed being so unpleasant to each other.

After lunch she returned to her airy office for a couple more hours, usually Rin would drag her out at some point either to her own office for a cup of tea and sisterly chat or a defence lesson. After that her time was her own and she would read, wonder through the baths as they started getting busy, taking time to chat to the regular customers, or she would head for Haku's office and help him out with his ever mounting pile of paperwork. She was getting very good at forging his signature. Dinner was usually reserved just for her and her mate, though sometimes they were joined by Zeniba's household, who visited regularly. Bedtime varied but she always found herself smiling when she closed her eyes, content and happy.

Weeks passed, one melting into another with ease. She and Haku went to the river for a few days. She saw nothing of the Nygel, though there were hoof prints in the dirt outside the house one morning. Haku had been a little angry but Chihiro told him to let the spirit be; he owed her an apology and would work up the courage to speak to her in time. Linca took a minor water spirit as a lover and ended the relationship two weeks later even though he clearly worshiped the ground she walked on.

When Chihiro asked for an explanation, the sprite shrugged her delicate shoulders and said, "He is not what I need."

Rin started dragging Chihiro out of her office for lessons three times a week. She started to work with the weapon that Rin had given her as a troth plight present. Chihiro cut and nicked herself so many times over the first few lessons that she and Haku fell into a blazing row over her continuing. Eventually she won the argument by pointing out that he may not always be able to protect her and she needed to be able to defend herself or be at another's mercy. Magic was not too much of a problem with the amount of talismans she carried. Her hair stick and tac'tal were full of protective magic; even her mating scar was sealed with strong protective magic. Violence, however, she had no defence against if he was not there. He had capitulated and a few well-placed kisses smoothed the situation over nicely.

One morning, two months after her mating, Chihiro awoke to see sunlight peeking through the curtains. The beam of light beckoned her towards the window. She rose and peered outside. Every trace of frost and snow was gone from the plain; it was now a brownish greyish marsh with only the slightest traces of green. She opened the casement and took deep breaths of the chill morning air. It was sharp and tickled the back of her throat but it seemed to have an earthy undertone, like leaf loam.

"Oh no," she heard Haku's muffled voice groan from the bed; the dragon had burrowed under the pillows and had his arms wrapped over the top of them, holding them down over his face.

"_Very regal"_ thought Chihiro to herself as a smile touched her lips. Sometimes he did not act like a river god at all. She could almost mistake him for a human; almost.

"What's the matter?" she asked, unable to keep a chuckle from her voice.

"S'nigh" said the pillow. Chihiro crawled up the bed and knelt near his shoulder. She whipped the pillow away revealing a pair of very sleepy green eyes and mussed greenish hair.

"Would you mind repeating that? I'm not allowed to read your mind, remember?"

"Spring," he muttered as if disgusted.

"What's so bad about spring?" she asked. He sighed at her ignorance and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with the heels of his hands. He looked up at her slightly less blearily.

"It's the mating season this year; remember we spirits conveniently have a breeding season every two years."

"Ah," was all Chihiro could think to say.

"You'll be unaffected," he yawned, "being human, and I've always been able to ignore the madness. Besides I have you to take the edge off this year." He grinned at her, sharp teeth flashing at her. Chihiro could not help giggling girlishly and batted his hand away playfully as it started to run up her thigh. He pulled a face at her.

"You're no fun!" he complained and turned away from her in mock sulk.

"If you can elevate your mind from the gutter for 5 minutes, Haku; hard I know when you share a bed with a Goddess like me every night; but would you mind getting to the point?"

"You'll see," he grumbled. "It will be mayhem here for the next three months and it will be difficult to get anyone to do anything." Then his shoulders hunched and he swore as if remembering something. He turning back around and treated her to his best impersonation of puppy dog eyes. He never quite managed to pull it off, however; his eyes were more saurian than mammalian and his gaze too intense for the required level of softness. It always made her laugh and she was chuckling when he spoke.

"You would not spend the next three months with my river, would you? Please!" She shook her head, still chuckling.

"Thought not," he sighed. "Well, just make sure you have those hair sticks on you at all times; carrying that dagger around may not be a bad idea either."

"It can't get that bad surely!" Chihiro laughed. The look Haku gave her clearly said she was wrong. Then he smiled.

"I'm sure all will be well when I remind certain individuals that if they even look at you in a way I dislike then I'll turn them to pigs and eat them for breakfast. Or maybe I'll just rip their throats out, I have not decided yet." Chihiro rolled her eyes and slipped back under the covers. As she settled down she remembered something.

"Aren't you glad I carried on with my defence lessons," she taunted. "Looks like they may come in useful. When are you going to learn that your mate is always right?"

By way of an answer she got a face full of pillow.

* * *

She found out quite quickly that Haku had not been exaggerating; every word he said was true. 

It was in Linca she first noticed the change. The normally reliable spirit started showing up late for work. She received a few tongue lashings from Rin but it seemed to have little effect on her performance; she seemed constantly tired and listless. Chihiro thought that she may be ill, but then she passed her in a corridor one evening. The sprite was wrapped around the very same water spirit she had dumped over a month ago. Two days later, Chihiro saw her sitting on the lap of a very handsome fire spirit, giggling like a teenager. Chihiro had long ago stopped trying to talk Linca out of her fickle ways. She just did not seem to comprehend that being so reckless with others hearts was cruel; she always went into these relationships with no intention of anything serious, but more often or not the spirit she was with fell for her. Chihiro could see why; her sister was a petite, delicate beauty with the heart of a tiger and a large appetite for life, among other things. Chihiro did not love her any less for her behaviour but she did worry about her.

The yunnas soon followed Linca's example and the night shifts became increasingly understaffed. Rin seemed incapable of maintaining order, and showed signs of growing discomfort as the season progressed, speaking only in monosyllables when she spoke at all, and spending long hours in her room. Chihiro guessed the spirit was intolerably lonely, but unlike Linca she would not give in to the season and pair up with someone. Chihiro was one of the few people she would see, and the human kept her sister supplied with chocolate and wine, the only things that seemed to relieve her pent up tension. Chihiro hoped that perhaps the stress would lead to more of Rin's memories being recovered. But the spirit suffered on with no new insights. Zeniba was called in to help with the administration side of things and Chihiro found herself taking on more and more hours to cover for those suffering the "sickness" that was running at epidemic proportions. She helped clients bathe; there were many of them this time of year, replenishing themselves after the winter. She played foreman; she cooked food and washed dishes; scrubbed floors and cleaned toilets. But that was the least of her troubles.

As Haku predicted, she started to receive unwanted attention from some male workers. Some of it was unwanted but harmless.

"Oh that bucket is far too heavy for you, Mistress Chihiro, let me help!" (Hands caressed as the bucket was taken from her.)

"Oh could you get that token for me please, the on the top shelf?" (Long look gained of bare legs as she stretched to get it.)

"I think your saddle strap has snapped mistress. No? Oh my mistake!" (Making her top gape open; showing more flesh than she would have liked as she bent to check.)

She did not mind these childish attempts so much and a sharp look would usually send the offender into retreat. But as the season progressed some started to leer at her and on one occasion she was propositioned. She found it amusing at first, chuckling over the antics of these males and indeed some females. She told Haku everything of course; the dragon was less amused and began mentally checking up on her about ten times a day.

She allowed him this; it did not inconvenience her too much. Besides he had his own pack of yunnas following him around, making passes at him, something which annoyed him greatly. He was worried she would get jealous, but what did she have to be jealous about? He was her mate.

For all his high minded assertions that he was largely unaffected by the breeding season, Chihiro found that he had been stretching the truth considerably. His appetite for her grew, as did his possessiveness. When she was near him he always seemed to need to have a hand on her shoulder or an arm around her, as if he could dispel wondering eyes merely by having contact with her. Two air spirits wound up in the pig pen for a week and were fed the most rank kitchen rubbish available. Their crime was admiring the dragon's mate within his sensitive hearing. When Chihiro found out, she mentally pinpointed where he was skulking and resolved to find him while her rage was still good and hot, despite her huge workload. He had been patrolling the less used corridors, looking for workers who may be conducting liaisons on company time; it was a futile task with the bathhouse being so vast, but he had got a few results through this method.

"Haku!" she yelled at his retreating form while trying breathlessly to catch up with him. She saw his shoulders hunched as her raised voice hurt his ears. She felt him mentally sigh and he turned to face her.

Haku was determined to keep a tight rein on his temper, which had been bubbling steadily for weeks. His nerves were shot to pieces and he had done his best to hide his emotional state from her. She had enough to do without having to attend to him. She was disappointed in him, he could feel it, but it only seemed to irritate him further rather than chastise him. He smiled at her angry face warmly, hoping to defuse the situation. It did not work.

She stalked up to him and stood before him, arms folded.

"Well?" she demanded, voice still far too high for his liking. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

"Nothing," he replied blandly, trying not to bristle at her tone.

"Nothing?" she echoed, her voice dripping with scorn. It was a little like rubbing lemon juice into a paper cut; his nerves jangled and his pride smarted.

"That's right," he replied firmly. "I was well within my rights to do what I did. They were not harmed and next time the experience may teach them to think with their brains rather than their libidos. They insulted both you and myself. They will not be in pig form long and the only long term effect will be the stomach ache from the kitchen rubbish they consume."

If anything, this seemed to annoy his mate further; her brown eyes hardened. What had he said to upset her now? Surely he had reasoned things out for her? What could the contrary female possibly find to object to? He was tempted to break the fragile walls she had built around her thoughts and side step the looming argument by reading her mind. But he did not; he had given his word and no matter how convenient it would be, he had to respect the pact between them.

"So you think that someone commenting on my legs justifies a spell in the pig pen?"

"It was a derogatory comment Chihiro, I believe the exact words were, "What a shapely pair of pins; I would not mind having those wrapped around me even if she is a stinking human." I heard it and passed sentence."

"Oh yes, I forgot. You still have to play the mighty river God! Why couldn't you dock their pay? Put them on back-to-back shifts for a week? Reduce their privileges? Or are those things too mundane and sensible?"

Haku's head throbbed; why couldn't she see things his way? He knew he should walk away, just walk away. Go for a fly or a swim to cool off and let her stew until she saw that she was being unreasonable. However, his feet seemed to refuse to move; an increasing part of him really wanted to lose his temper; it would feel so good just to let the hot roiling emotions free and heat his blood. Of course, he would have little control over what he did after that, his rational side pointed out, but oh, it would feel so good. He stayed put.

"I did what I did for your protection, and I will do it again if the need arises." Chihiro threw up her hands in exasperation.

"You're impossible!" she cried. "You may as well tattoo "HAKU'S" on my forehead and have done with it! I am not your possession, dragon, and I don't need you protect me in such a manner!"

Haku felt his mood swing so violently that he nearly blacked out; he moved from hot bubbling anger to cold, chilling malevolence in two seconds. Who did she think she was talking to? She had no right to speak to him so when he was only acting with her best interests at heart. A small and rapidly disappearing corner of his mind knew he was not himself and clamoured for him to admit that the season and the stresses of his position were getting to him. He ignored it; it was so much easier to toy with his mate. He fixed her with a glittering stare and smiled coldly.

"But you _are_ mine," he whispered to her silkily. "Mine forever, or had you forgotten that?"

She did not heed the warning in his tone. She stared back defiantly at him, her self-righteous anger carrying her forward.

"Well, sometimes I have trouble remembering, when you treat me more like a fragile pet than a woman!"

Something in the dragon snapped.

He felt his body move before he even thought about it. Chihiro gave a strangled squeak as he pressed her back against the wall of the corridor, pinning her there with his weight. Chihiro could not move; she could hardly breathe. His eyes sparkled with chilly emerald anger and she felt a growl rumble through his chest. She had not seen him this angry in quite some time. She realised that all the signs to his unstable frame of mind were there, all she had to do was look. But she had been so busy, and consequently so tired, she had not bothered to think that he may be suffering in some way, and Haku being Haku, he had hidden it well. She cursed herself; she had been almost treating him like a human. However, he was much more wonderful and much more high maintenance than any human man could be. She would have to think fast to find a way to placate him or he may do something stupid and hate himself afterwards. He bared his teeth in a feral grin and she felt a shiver of fear tremble up her spine.

She should not have worried so. Haku's nostrils flared on picking up her spiky nervous scent. It made him aware that he was frightening her and while the scent tantalised him, it also gentled him. He tilted his face to her neck and instead of biting her as he originally intended, he kissed her softly, feeling her rapid pulse beneath his lips.

"I'm sorry," he whispered between ever more frantic kisses. "I really have no control of my temper right now." He kissed her cheeks chin and forehead in rapid succession. "It's this damn mating season. I could always ignore it before, but now I have you and… well my body screams for… things I can't ask of you." He felt Chihiro relax beneath him. He kissed her lips desperately. "I don't want to hurt you… but I really need to…" Small hands took his face and gently pushed his head back so he was looking directly into a pair of very serious brown eyes.

"_What exactly do you need from me, Haku?"_ she asked, her calm words slipping easily into his mind. _"I want to help you; you are obviously suffering from the lack of something. Let me help you."_

"_I can't ask you to do this…" _he replied _"It would not be right."_ To Chihiro's complete surprise he blushed.

"_Do I have to guess?"_ she asked, trying to stay serious but her lips held the ghost of a smile.

"_I'd rather you didn't." _She could feel his toe curling embarrassment quite distinctly and that gave her the clue she needed.

"_If I had to place money on it, I would say it has something to do with blood."_ He was taken aback that she had guessed correctly. _"I've been doing a little bit of homework on your kind, dragon. I know that at this time, if you had a mate of your own species, there would be biting and exchange of a reasonable amount of blood and then you would mate. The ritual is repeated on a daily basis until the female conceives. That's the way you are designed to work."_ She kissed his cheek. _"It's nothing to be ashamed of; I think I can stand to lose a little blood every two years. I'm human but I don't expect you to act like one too, that would be unrealistic." _She stroked his hair and he nuzzled into her neck again as if to hide his still scarlet face. She took his hand and kissed it and suddenly she was all business.

"So how do we go about this then?" she asked out loud, making him look up. "Should I cut my finger for you or do you need more than that? Am I going to have to open a vein for you?" He looked at her in wonder.

"You're serious aren't you?"

"Of course I am; you need my blood so I will provide. I can lose a pint with no danger; I'm young and healthy…"

"I won't need that much," he interrupted gently. "And you won't need to cut yourself." He pulled back his lips in a grimace, showing her his sharp canines. "These are not just for tearing meat off the bone; it would be a lot less painful for you if we did this the traditional way."

"And a lot more pleasurable for you I suppose." She chuckled but stopped when she saw another blush creeping up his neck. This was obviously a subject rarely spoken of among dragon kind.

"I can heal you straight after, I won't even leave a mark."

"You will have other things on your mind rather than healing me, Haku; I remember that last time you got a taste of me!" He smiled at the memory.

"Well," she sighed, taking his hand and pulling him down the corridor. "We best get started. I have one condition however."

"And that is?" enquired her mate.

"That I get to bite back…"


	9. Pestilence

**A/N Ok new direction for this story. Hope I don't disappoint. Some replies on L/J**

_**Pestilence **_

Haku was almost a changed dragon overnight. Chihiro could hardly believe that something so simple could precipitate such a transformation in him. All the stress just seemed to fall from him and after a good 12 hours in bed with his mate and a half pint of blood, Haku felt completely refreshed. He would never have expected his mate to be so tolerant of his more animal needs; it was called "bloodlust" for a very good reason.

Early next morning, Haku transported the icy melt water from the plain and dumped it over every single staff member that had not turned up for the morning shift. Strangely there were few absences for the evening shift and only a few had to be persuaded to work the night shift. Haku told Chihiro that if he had been thinking clearly he would have implemented such a motivational policy weeks ago.

As mid spring approached, the mating season was over its peak and Chihiro began to feel as if she could finally relax. All was going well. Her friends and family were in good health and the effects of the strange season seemed to be lessening. All was peaceful. She should have known it was too good to last.

She awoke one night a few weeks later to feel the chill crackle of magic in the air and her tac'tal was burning her with warning. She sat bolt upright and something light and smooth brushed her cheek. She squeaked, causing her mate to wake. Sensing her distress he cast a light orb above the bed so she could see. When her eyes adjusted to the dim glow she saw a garish orange envelope sitting on her lap. Chihiro's heart froze. Haku had given an enchanted envelope to her parents as a method of contacting their daughter directly in the event of an emergency. They were difficult to make as they had a tendency to disintegrate in a world were magic was almost entirely absent. Chihiro did not know how much power her mate had used to solve the problem but she assumed it was a lot. Haku had told her parents how rare the envelope was and Chihiro had assumed she would never see it again.

"Don't just stare at it," whispered Haku. "Open it." Chihiro swallowed and ran a nail under the gum seal and removed the letter inside. With a pop and a crack the envelope became orange dust. Chihiro's eyes were greeted by her father's scrawled characters.

_Chihiro…_

_I don't wish to alarm you by sending you this, but I am at a loss for what to do. Your mother is extremely sick and the symptoms she is exhibiting tell me that this is not an illness that any mortal doctor would be able to treat. I don't know what to do. If I take her to a hospital they will surely provide the wrong medicines or worse still, put her in confinement and do nothing. I have listed her symptoms as best I can and I would ask that you show them immediately to some sort of healer or whatever you have for doctors there. Write to me as soon as you have anything. Please daughter she is gravely ill and I can't help her or even make her more comfortable_.

Chihiro ran her eyes down the list of symptoms; they seemed fairly mundane at first.

_Lethargy,_

_Wheezing cough,_

_Sweats,_

_Temperature,_

But then there were things like…

_A blue glow surrounds her at night,_

_Black fur has grown on her back,_

_Bright green rash on her stomach and legs,_

_A black tongue and lips,_

_Her breath smells of sour pears._

Chihiro passed the list to Haku who virtually snatched it off her. His green eyes scanned the letter quickly and dispassionately.

"What do I do?" asked Chihiro softly.

"Get dressed" he replied. "Kamaji is off tonight but I'm sure he won't mind being woken up for this."

* * *

Kamaji, like Rin, had been exceptionally grumpy during the mating season, throwing himself into his work. He had been almost impossible to work with, but luckily his apprentice, Bee-la, seemed as unaffected by Kamaji's sharp tongue as he was by the mating season. This was probably because Bee-la was a hive spirit and had no mating season; he was a worker and that was all he would ever be or be expected to be. When his hive had been destroyed in a war, the bathhouse was the only place he could think to go. If he did not work then he did not exist. So when Chihiro and Haku burst into the sweltering boiler room, Chihiro babbling almost incoherently and waving a letter before her, the puffball spirit was not fazed at all. He calmly took the letter from the human and disappeared into the storeroom that had been converted into a bedroom for the ancient spirit. There was a buzz, a shout, a clatter, and then the light in the room clicked on. Chihiro could hear Kamaji mumbling to himself, then the spider-like spirit shuffled out of the room and into the boiler room.

"Kamaji, I'm so sorry to wake you," Chihiro gushed. "But this is important; my mother-" Kamaji raised a hand imperiously to stop the flow of chatter.

"Quiet, Sen, I'm thinking!" Chihiro felt Haku bristle beside her at the spirit's tone but he wisely chose to say nothing. Kamaji started rummaging in his chest of drawers with two hands while another hand scratched his head and another neatened his moustache and pushed his opaque glasses further up his nose. He muttered to himself under his breath and Chihiro could only make out a few words even with her improved hearing.

"It could be… mutated sallow-hale...? Husband was not affected… rash and aura… mmmm… black water fever… wrong season… Kermes ailment… only magical creatures…" Finally he located a black leather bound tome that was a good six inches thick. Chihiro recognised it as the volume he had turned to when she had been suffering from the sallow-hale. He sat resting the book on his lap while getting a pen and paper with two arms another hand flicked threw the yellowed pages of the book. The spirit was a collage of nervous movement. Chihiro sat cross-legged on the floor and Haku followed her example, throwing a comforting arm over her shoulders. Bee-la tended the boiler but managed to get the dragon and the human a cup of camomile tea in a lull. The soot balls had stopped to peer at the couple, but a sharp buzz from the puffball spirit got them moving again. Kamaji was reading in total silence for nearly 45 minutes but finally he gave a grunt of satisfaction.

"That will be it," he announced.

"What?" trilled Chihiro, clasping her hands before her.

"Spalercum pestilence."

"It can't be," said Haku flatly. "That's a tropical disease and carried by a very rare type of mosquito."

"If you are such an expert, Haku, then why did you ask my opinion?" snapped the irritable spirit. Haku glared at the old spirit but it seemed to have little effect.

"It's the only thing that fits the symptoms, why no one else has got it I don't know but it's treatable. With the right care Sen's mother should fully recover."

"That's a relief," sighed Chihiro.

"But there is a problem," continued the spirit and he adjusted his dark glasses primly. "The herbs needed to cure her do not grow in the human world." Chihiro's heart sank. "The potion is not easy to make and it must be re made every two days by someone with herbal knowledge. I doubt your father has the skills required to make a bundle bark and starflower decoction." Kamaji turned to Haku. "The bottom line is; do you have the strength to send potion to the human world every 2 days for the next two weeks? Even for you it would be difficult I think, judging by how tired you get when you send Sen's letters."

Haku sighed. Acknowledging the truth of the spirit's words, he felt his mate's mood plummet to something very close to despair. It almost hurt him physically to feel her so unhappy.

"Is there nothing we can do to help?" asked Chihiro.

There was silence in the boiler room with only the metallic clanking of the boiler mouth opening and closing as it greedily guzzled coal. Finally Haku's voice broke through the hush.

"All you have to do is pack your things; I'll take care of the rest."

"What?" exclaimed Chihiro in surprise, turning to look at him sharply.

"I said pack you things; you are going to help your mother," said the dragon as calmly as if he was talking about the weather.

"I can't do that!" Chihiro hissed. "I can no more cross the border to the human world than you can. I'm bonded to this world remember? Besides it's closed, the equinox is…"

"Things are different now," interrupted her mate gently. He took her hand and ran his fingers gently over the gold mating scar. "You're bonded to me now and I say you can go. It will take quite a bit of power to protect you from the non-magical human world, but you will not sicken. It will be unpleasant for us both, me most of all probably, but I'd rather expend my energy on guaranteeing your mother's return to health. You've gained enough experience while helping Kamaji out down here to make up that potion and you know how to use it. I could send your father potion every other day but I would weaken more quickly and he may not administer the potion correctly. This is the best way."

"I can't let you do this," Chihiro breathed. "It will drain you the point of exhaustion."

"This is not your decision to make little one," he whispered. "If I am willing, you can have no objection." He touched her face trailing his fingers from her ear lobe to her sharp chin. "Your family will need you, Chihiro. Your mother will be disorientated and frightened and your father will be lost without her."

Chihiro tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "I don't want to go back there. I'm still wanted by the police and I feel like an alien in my own world." And she did not need to add what else was in her heart because her mate could see it in her eyes.

"_And I'm afraid." _

"This is what must be," he declared. The dragon lent forward and brushed his mate's brow with his lips. "I always knew that your world was not finished with you yet. I knew I'd have to let it claim you at least once more; you are still not at peace with those you have left behind." He squeezed her scared hand and smiled sadly. "Just make sure you are not incarcerated this time. I'm not sure I can aid you at all in the state I will be in. It will be all I can do to keep body and soul together let alone organise another hospital break out. Zeniba will have to run things for me while I'm indisposed but I'm confident in her skills." He sat up and let go of her hand slowly, almost reluctantly. "I can maintain a protection spell on you and keep a small hole in the border open for three weeks, by that time your mother should be almost recovered."

Chihiro shook her head. "I can't do it, I'll kill you."

Haku kissed her lips softly. "The only difficult part will be your absence; that is the only true hardship I will suffer. Now go and pack, the sooner you leave the sooner you will return." Chihiro's chin wobbled but she nodded, stood and slipped from the boiler room soundlessly.

Haku stood and yawned. "Make up that potion for her, Kamaji, and supply her with everything she needs to make it herself. I'll underwrite the cost of it all." He turned to leave but a gnarled old hand clasped his forearm turning him back to the old spirit.

"I'm sure you know that this is probably something Yubaba has cooked up. There are no other cases, Haku; that has to raise your suspicions." Haku patted the old spirit's hand fondly.

I know as soon as I read that letter that it was probably some scheme she had a hand in old friend. But what can I do? I cannot let Chihiro's parents suffer and do nothing. I'll post a guard and put Rin in charge of security; she has a good head on her shoulders." Kamaji let go of the dragon.

"You should tell her what you suspect, Haku. If anything happens when she is away she will blame herself."

Haku shook his head, his dishevelled dark hair flashing green in the light given off from the boiler fire. "If I tell her she will refuse to go." The dragon picked his way carefully through the busy soot balls and nodded to Bee-la as he passed him. At the door the dragon turned to Kamaji one last time.

"Besides, if Yubaba is indeed trying to avenge herself on me then perhaps the human world is the best place for Chihiro right now."

Kamaji felt a sinking feeling in his gut as he watched the dragon leave. He would make the potion as promised but first he would check his supplies. He shuffled over to the panel-covered wall and tapped the corner of one of the panels with his thumb. The panel squeaked open on hidden hinges that had not been used in years. Kamaji felt a little better when he saw row upon row of wax sealed jars. He carefully removed one and blew the dust off the yellowed label. There, in his own neat handwriting, was written a word that made him feel much better just reading it.

GUNPOWDER

A little further back in the secret cupboard was a crate; Kamaji had paid a lot of his own money to acquire it from a spirit that traded with certain individuals in the human world. He had thought to try and study it to find out how it was made. The stuff had proved far too complex and far too dangerous however. It had taken him four years to re-grow the hand he lost. He read the label on the crate with a grin.

DYNAMITE

Despite their destructiveness Kamaji had a grudging respect for the human race. They were inventive people; they had to be not being able to use magic. Kamaji ran through the bathhouse defences in his mind. They had not been needed for some time but the building sitting on a spire of rock was as defensible as any castle. There was also an extensive armoury and most of the staff was trained to use its contents.

"Better be careful, Yubaba," muttered the ancient spirit. "If you come here you will not only find your revenge thwarted but your life in danger of being extinguished."

* * *

Akio paced back and forward, agitated and at a loss for what to do. His wife had been hallucinating for the last few days and he had had to lock her in her room twice. He should have tied her to the bed but he just could not bring himself to. So with his wife screaming that he had stolen her daughter and that she would kill him, Akio had written to his daughter. She was her mother's child; she would know what to do. Yuuko was asleep now but it was a fitful uneasy sleep. He still thought taking her to a hospital was a bad idea. Visions of men in white coat flocking around her prone form filled his head.

"_Yes, Dr Tanaka, a very interesting case; one for further study. When she dies, order a special post mortem…" _

Akio shook his head to try and clear his morbid thoughts. He might still have to take her to hospital if his daughter could not help him. He kept checking the hallway for a letter that may have slipped itself under the door like Chihiro's letters normally did. Would she respond to his pleas? Would that letter even reach her? She had looked radiant the day she had married that sly lizard and Akio had shed bittersweet tears knowing that his daughter, who he had never truly understood, was now someone else's to worry about. She had rejected everything they had ever wanted for her; a steady job, a nice human husband and in time, perhaps, children. Normal human children. She had chosen another way, a way he could not comprehend. Did she hate her world? Had that been what had driven her away? Or had that other place seduced her with its strange and dangerous beauty? Akio was startled out of his musings by a sharp knock at the door.

He thought it was probably another neighbour come to enquire if Yuuko was any better. He was sure there was a suspicion in the street that he had murdered his wife, as he never let any visitors see her. He opened the door, the lies ready on his tongue. He nearly choked when he saw his daughter standing on the doorstep, soaked to the skin by a heavy downpour that had started half an hour ago. She looked pale and weary, her brown eyes appearing overlarge as the dark evening had dilated her pupils. She blinked in the light pouring out of the front door; Akio simply stared at her. She shuffled her feet and shifted the large pack on her back. Finally she grew impatient.

"Are you going to invite me in, Dad?" she asked casually. "I'm still technically a wanted woman and it's quite wet out here." Akio sprang into action. Ushering her into the hallway, he helped her remove her pack and coat. The simple green tunic she wore underneath it was wringing wet.

"How can you be here?" he asked. "I thought you could not return here."

"Haku found a loophole," Chihiro muttered distractedly as she started to dig around in her pack.

"The dragon let you go?" said Akio, clearly surprised. His daughter looked up at him and her tired eyes flashed with anger.

"He's my mate, not my gaoler, Dad," said Chihiro through clenched teeth. "Don't start insulting him. I've been back five minutes and you're already getting on my nerves. He has given up more than you can understand for me to be here. I would not be surprised if he will have to confine himself to bed in a few days. He will become too weak to talk or even eat by the time I get back. He is expending his every resource in order to keep me safe and you start on him the moment I arrive."

Chihiro's anger died quickly after reprimanding her father. In fact, a chilly calm came over her. Getting her mother better was all that really mattered. Akio fell silent, not knowing what to say. He kept glancing at the mark on the back of her hand; it reminded him of a cattle brand. Finally Chihiro grunted, obviously finding what she was looking for. She extracted an earthenware bottle from the pack and she turned and trotted up the stairs to her parents' bedroom. She could smell the sickness as soon as she opened the door. The room was stifling and Chihiro had to take a moment to make sure her lunch stayed put. Underneath the coiling sickness smell was the odour her father had mentioned; sour pears. Kamaji had told her that this was the smell the body gave off when it started to digest muscle rather than fat. It produced acetone, which smelled like pears fermenting in the sun. In the light from the bedside lamp, Chihiro could see her mother's lips were swollen and black. Lurid green pimples almost glowed on her pale hands which rested on the blankets; she was breathing in short wheezing gasps and sweat beaded on her brow.

"How long has she been like this?" Chihiro whispered, truly shocked by her mother's condition.

"Two days," her father replied in a flat tone, "though the first symptoms appeared a week ago."

Chihiro moved to the bed and took out a tiny silver ladle from her pocket. She tipped a trickle of thick white liquid from the bottle and parted her mother's lips. Then she tipped the contents of the ladle into Yuuko's mouth and rubbed her throat gently until her mother swallowed. She administered another three doses of the potion. Already her mother seemed to be breathing more easily. It was a start. Chihiro turned to her father.

"This potion must be administered every hour for the next two days, four doses each time. I'll make up more of it tomorrow afternoon."

"It will cure her?" asked Akio hopefully.

"Eventually. As she gets better we will lesson the dose."

Akio nodded and then frowned at his daughter. "How did she get this; we've been home for weeks. It this a common illness? Have you ever had it?"

Chihiro shrugged. "Let's get her better first; all I can tell you is that Mum is the only one to get this and that is unusual." Again Akio nodded.

"Well, I can give her the potion; you should get some sleep, Chihiro. If you don't mind me saying you look terrible. I'll wake you when I need a rest myself."

Chihiro smiled a small smile and handed the bottle and ladle to her father. As she crossed the hallway to her old bedroom her father called softly after her.

"I'm very glad you're here, Chihiro, thank you for coming." Chihiro sighed, bid her father goodnight and slipped into her room.

She had forgotten how pink it was. He mother had decorated it in an effort to try and make her introverted daughter a bit more feminine. Chihiro lent against the door and sighed closing her eyes, trying to quiet her screeching nerves. Everything seemed so strange; even the air seemed different. She composed herself somewhat and opened her eyes. She gasped when she saw a well-remembered picture on the wall. The university must have sent her things back to her parents. A white dragon was painted on silk with a blue background. Her lip trembled. She stretched out her hand and ran her fingers over the silk, sweeping them up the dragon's nose. It had been her daily routine at one point, the only outward expression of what had happened to her that she had allowed herself.

"My beautiful white dragon," she breathed and her heart ached for a moment. She could still feel his presence even though it was very faint. She could still pinpoint his direction with relative accuracy, northeast at the moment.

"Oh Haku," she whispered. "I hope you have not bitten off more than you can chew this time."


	10. Longing

**A/N Ok shorter than usual but I've been sick. Thank you to EVERYONE who has reviewed, I got back to as many of you as I could.**

_**Longing.**_

Meeka shuddered in the cool night air. She had been on watch duty for three hours now. That ordinarily would not be a problem but it was the company that bothered her. She checked the window before her was secure and moved on. A despicable little toad, still high on the success he had had over the mating season, had been ordered onto this shift with her. He now bore three claw marks across his cheek for one too many licentious comments. Now they were both intent on spending the rest of the shift avoiding each other, which suited Meeka just fine.

Meeka paused at the next window and glanced outside. It was very early in the morning and the moon was setting. Dawn was only an hour or two away. With no chores to be performed for her mistress for the moment, Meeka had tried to make herself useful where she could. Rin had pounced on her offer of help and this was her seventh night watch in a row. The wood spirit did not mind; she liked to be busy. She checked the window and moved on.

"_Poor master Haku,"_ she thought. After the first few days of Chihiro's absence he had seemed fine, a little lethargic perhaps but nothing serious. On the eleventh day he had taken to his bed, too weak to stay awake for any length of time. Zeniba had been fussing over him like an old mother hen, bemoaning his stubbornness that he had not discussed the options with her first. Meeka remembered the argument the two of them had had before the dragon put himself in a trance.

"_Haku, this is INSANE! I can't even imagine the amount of your own resources you are putting into this to keep her there. You should have at least sought advice first."_

Haku had draped himself over a chair in his sitting room and glared at the witch.

"_You forget yourself Zeniba; I've not asked for your company or your advice. Do your job while I'm otherwise engaged and all will be well."_

"_Humph!"_ said the witch, by way of retaliation. _"This is foolish; you know the possible threat you face and yet you have allowed yourself to be manipulated. You are weakened when you should be conserving your strength. Many souls here depend on the protection you can give them. Who are you to bargain with their security so easily?"_

Haku's eyes flashed with anger.

"_My mind, body, soul and protection belong to one person alone. I owe them to no one else,"_ he hissed. Then he raised himself from the chair slightly._ "What would you have me do, Zeniba? Keep her here? Watch her worry herself away, not knowing if her mother lived or died? I saw her pain and felt it as if it were my own. I sent her and I stand by that decision."_ He slumped back with an exhausted sigh.

"_She would have never have agreed to go if she had known the seriousness of the situation,"_ snapped the witch.

"_True,"_ he replied thoughtfully, too tired to be angry anymore at the witch's impertinence. _"And that is why I chose not to tell her. I'll deal with her inevitable resentment when she returns. She is content for now, if a little homesick."_ A slow smile crept over his lips. "_And lonely… she is not sleeping well…_" He trailed off, his gaze far away. _"I wish I could have gone with her,"_ he whispered.

"_Well, you could not,"_ growled the witch. Meeka had never seen Zeniba so angry. However, unlike her sister, Zeniba's anger was cold. Somehow it was worse than her sister's fiery rage. _"You have gambled with the safety this bathhouse to satisfy the whims of your mate. I hope for your sake you are ready for the consequences."_

"_I am,"_ he replied calmly looking at her once more.

"_But is Chihiro?"_ asked the witch slyly. The room's temperature dipped by about two degrees and a few glasses shattered in the cabinets. Haku's chill gaze nearly reduced Meeka to a pleading heap on the floor and it was not even directed at her. The emerald eyes were ice cold and very, very angry.

"_I do not have to justify myself to you, crone,"_ he said quietly_. "Now I suggest you leave me alone for a while before I say or do something we both regret."_

Zeniba had stormed out, slamming the door behind her. Haku had closed his eyes. Meeka had shaken herself and sprung into life; she busied herself with cleaning up broken glass. Haku appeared to be asleep but after a few minutes he sighed Chihiro's name. When he finally opened his eyes they seemed so sad that Meeka felt her own heart ache in sympathy for him.

"_I only ever wanted what was best for her,"_ he whispered.

"_I know that, Master Haku,"_ said Meeka shyly. _"And mistress Chihiro knows it to."_ He nodded at her words but still looked troubled. _"She will be back soon, master,"_ whispered Meeka. _"I know it must be hard for you but…"_ The green eyes turned to her and Meeka quite forgot what she had been saying. Haku had smiled at her and Meeka was very glad that her fur covered her blush.

"_I have no doubt that she will be back soon Meeka; the question is what will she be returning to?"_

The day after that Haku had taken to his bed. Meeka was scared for him and wished Mistress Chihiro would return with all speed. Her mate needed her by his side. She supposed this was the disadvantage of being life mates. They literally could not live without one another. Meeka sighed and wondered how her mistress was coping with the separation. At least she was not having to suffer the massive drain of power Haku was, as well as being a world away from her mate. However, in some ways the human was stronger than her mate, tougher on the inside somehow and more level headed. Meeka was sure she was alright.

* * *

Chihiro sighed and sat back in her chair. Her mother was almost looking normal again, apart from a slight discoloration of her lips. She had been awake yesterday but not lucid, babbling that Akio had to remember to change Chihiro's nappy and test the temperature of the milk before he gave it to her. If Chihiro had not been so worried she would have laughed. She had been there two weeks and she had decided that as soon as her mother was up and about she would be back over the border as fast as her legs would carry her. She missed the spirit world and she missed her friends, and despite copious amounts of both coffee and chocolate she missed _him_ bitterly.

She kept telling herself that it had only been two weeks, but it seemed as though it was two years; the days dragged by, and the nights ticked away sluggishly. She kept opening her mind to try to speak to him, only to remember that the powers they shared could not cross dimensions. Instead she felt a yawning grey nothing, like a television that was not tuned into a channel. It frightened her; she had grown used to the silent communications between them and to find no answer time after time only served to remind her how lonely she was. Maddeningly, she could still feel a faint awareness of him, but he was as out of reach to her as the moon was.

She sat back in her chair and sighed, cradling a cup of tea in her hands. It was 3am and her turn to watch Yuuko. She had a book of suduko puzzles and a racy novel she had found under her bed that she was sure Linca had lent her when they were at university. She had lost interest in both however. The puzzles made her head hurt and the novel… Well the novel was very badly written which annoyed her, but it also reminded her of everything she could not have.

"TWO WEEKS!" her body screamed at her. Two weeks without being held, without being told how much she was loved or appreciated. Two weeks without feeling his soft lips caress her neck or his sharp teeth nip her ear lobe playfully. Two weeks without hearing his teasing chuckle or his warning growl or feeling his warm breath on her skin. Two weeks without having her hair stroked or shoulders rubbed. Two weeks without his smell, not just the masculine musky smell that all males had but his own smell of mountain mists and clouds heavy with rain.

"Two weeks without sex," she muttered to herself. A year ago she would have never have thought that she would ever complain about such a thing. Then again if Linca was here she would probably say something like _"Those who don't miss it are not doing it right."_ Chihiro's rational self pointed out that she had made it through puberty and beyond without being so needy. But then again she did not know what she had been missing either. She closed her eyes and crossed her legs trying to ease her discomfort. It did not help.

She felt like she wanted to crawl out of her own skin, like she was some skittish mare who needed her master to run a firm hand over her back and flanks so she would calm. Oh she wanted him here with her. Shamelessly abandoning all inner propriety she indulged herself with yet another daydream.

_He would just walk into her bedroom, without a word of explanation of how or why he was there. He would drag her from her bed and kiss her fiercely. He would not have it all his own way however, oh no. She would loop her foot behind his and sweep his legs out from underneath him sending them both tumbling to the floor. She would start tearing at his clothes, desperate to see flesh. There would be surprise in his emerald eyes but desire also. He'd stroke her hair and kiss her softly telling her there was no need to rush he was not going anywhere. But she was beyond being calmed she needed him right at that moment or she was going to go insane. Once she had his clothes off, she would…. _

"Chihiro?" croaked a voice. Chihiro sat bolt upright and nearly spilled her tea. She looked guiltily into the confused eyes of her mother and felt a blush start to creep up her neck.

"_Stop it!"_ she told herself. _"It's not as if she could see what you were thinking." _

"You're awake!" cried Chihiro with false brightness.

"I think so," said her mother. "I've had a lot of strange dreams, this could just be another one…"She looked up at her daughter and frowned. "Now I know this is a dream; you can't be here." Chihiro smiled and told her mother how she had come to the human world and about the potion and her illness. It took Yuuko a while to take it all in and she kept stopping Chihiro to get her daughter to repeat things. At last she said, "Haku will be alright won't he?"

"I'm sure he will be fine," smiled Chihiro. "He will be weak but he would not have sent me if he did not think he could do it."

"You're wrong," whispered her mother gravely. "I know how smitten that boy is, he would have sent you anyway."

Cold fingers of fear stroked over Chihiro's heart. Her mother could not be right? Could she? Haku could be irrational on occasion but not about something as important as this surely? Yuuko struggled to sit up and Chihiro helped her.

"Yuck! I feel as weak as your dragon must be right now, poor fool that he is," Yuuko complained. Chihiro got her to drink a glass of water and thought that if she could get some soup into her mother she would go and get her father. Akio would be ecstatic to see his wife so improved. Chihiro disappeared and returned with a mug of instant miso.

"Drink," she ordered. Her mother pulled a face at the mug but started to sip at it.

"You will be wanting to return as soon as you can I take it?" asked Yuuko.

"I'll stay a few more days just to see you back up and about. But yes I need to get back," replied Chihiro.

"I understand," said Yuuko sadly. "The sooner you get back the less of a burden you are to your dragon. I also understand that you don't want to stay here; this is no longer your home." Yuuko sighed sipped her soup and smiled. "You're so much like your grandmother; sometimes I think it's her staring out at me from your eyes, not my daughter." Yuuko shook her head. "Silly of me I know; you are very different people. She was a very devote woman and old fashioned. You're wilder and more headstrong than she ever was. That's why we raised you with no faith. My mother was so devoted to her religion I felt stifled by it. I never thought to ask her why she was so devoted to it until she was dying."

Chihiro listened intently to her mother. She knew Yuuko had lost her mother in her early twenties. It had been one of the things that had worried Chihiro so; history had a habit of repeating itself.

"I always knew my mother was a little different," continued Yuuko. "There was always a far away look in her eye, as if she was longing for something, like her soul belonged in another place. It was not until she was dying that she told me something that she had cherished all her life. At the age of 11 my mother went to the spirit world."

Chihiro gasped; all preconceptions she had about the stoic, strict grandmother that she had never met crumbled. "My mother's family lived in a small farming village in the mountains." Yuuko said. "After a hard day in the harvest season they would all eat their evening meal outside on the edge of the rice paddies. My mother wondered away one evening into the woodland. She knew the woods well but that evening something was different; the woods became unfamiliar to her and she was lost. After wondering for hours she sat down by a huge tree and started to cry. Suddenly, a tiny pink piglet trotted up to her. It gave her a questioning look and asked her why she was crying. When she had got over the shock of having a pig talk to her, my mother told the pig she was lost. The pig sniffed her and then snorted as if she smelled bad. Then it said something that had puzzled my mother for years.

"The problem with your family is you don't know which world to live in. Don't wonder too far from home on the solstices or equinoxes again. Making the jump between worlds is all too easy for the likes of you." Then it trotted away telling her to follow. Soon she was back in woods she knew. She turned to thank the pig but it had vanished. What she saw was a line where her woods ended and the strange dark woods of another world began. She said it was scary but beautiful and she nearly stepped back over that line. But she remembered what the pig said and ran home. She never told anyone what she had seen but she told me on her death bed that she believed our family was protected by powerful spirits. She also said not a day went by when she did not wish she had stepped back over that line. She thought that the spirit world may have stolen a part of her soul." Yuuko drank some more soup and shook her head. "I thought it was all nonsense, but you don't tell a dying woman such things. I never saw any of these spirits that were supposed to protect us but as my mother was forever pointing out, I had no gift for such things. I think it must have skipped me and instead my daughter was blessed with it."

She put down her mug; Chihiro was pleased to see she had drunk most of it.

"I still have not forgiven myself for not believing you Chihiro. With a mother like mine you would have thought that I would have at least been more tolerant, but…"

"It's alright, Mum," Chihiro soothed. "It's all forgotten." Yuuko was quiet and then she shivered. Chihiro was ready with another blanket but Yuuko waved her away.

"I'm not cold really, I was just thinking about something." Chihiro waited for her mother to fill the silence, not wanting to press her. She had already been more candid that Chihiro could ever remember her being. Maybe it was something to do with the amount of dreams Yuuko said she had had.

"You see that plant on the windowsill?" asked her mother suddenly. Chihiro turned to look. There on the sill was what she had assumed was another of her mother's weird hybrids. It was an orchid of sorts with fleshy red leaves that seemed to have a sticky fluid on them. Out of the leaves grew a thick red flower spike, on which were the most exquisite, if a little garish blood red flowers. Yuuko rummaged in her night stand and produced a rubber glove and a small plastic bag.

"Put this glove on and pick off two or three of those flowers and put them in this bag. Don't touch them whatever you do."

Chihiro was confused but she did as her mother asked. Once she had bagged and sealed the flowers she returned to the bed. "Put them in your pocket and take them with you," said Yuuko.

"Why?" asked Chihiro, frowning.

"Because when the local stray cat tried to chew on one of those flowers it was dead within a minute. I had to bring the plant in; it's too dangerous to keep outside. I'm not sure what happened to it when I brought those cuttings over from the bathhouse gardens but it was the only one that grew and it's deadly poisonous. The rest, like your dragon said, all died, but this one for some reason likes it here." She grinned at Chihiro, her cracked lips splitting a little as she did so. "I'm in line for a national horticultural award I'll have you know! I could command any price for that plant but I was thinking of donating it to the Tokyo botanical gardens where it can be looked after properly, with a few cuttings for myself of course."

Chihiro frowned at her mother. "So why give poison to me?"

"I'm not sure," shrugged her mother. "I just have this nagging feeling that you will need it." Chihiro nodded and slipped the deadly package into her pocket. Who was she to question her mothers gut feelings?

"I've given it a name, it's been recorded too," said her mother quietly.

"Oh?" asked Chihiro.

"I've called it the Dragon's Blood Orchid."

Chihiro gulped.

"Go home soon daughter; I may not know much about your world but I know it needs you more than we do."


	11. Battle for the Bathhouse

**  
**

**Battle for the Bathhouse**

Meeka was sick of being on watch. She knew that the windows were all closed and she knew that there were no intruders on this floor. Yet she did her job and checked everything anyway; Master Haku was depending on her, and Mistress Chihiro would be home any day now. She hoped Mistress Chihiro's mother had recovered fully.

Meeka paused to gaze out of yet another window she was checking. The moon was a fingernail in the sky and provided little illumination. There were still a few hours until dawn but the night was not cold despite the sky being completely clear, showing a myriad of stars burning with their cold fire. It would be summer soon, and Mistress Chihiro would have been in the spirit world for almost a year. Meeka wished the summer would hurry; she always felt more alive when the trees were in full leaf. Besides, the mating season had been difficult for her this year; with the summer, the last of those disgusting urges would leave her. It was almost enough for the spirit to wish she was human; how blessed were that race not to have a mating season! She idly wondered how many of the staff had let themselves get pregnant. A nursery would have to be set up again; another one of Master Haku's innovations. Before, Yubaba would have just fired workers when they were too near their time to work.

Of course there was always at least one case of forced fertility. Master Haku was very strict about such things. Meeka imagined his opinion on such issues would have hardened even more since he became a mate to a human. The last perpetrator he caught had been ordered to be whipped and banished from the bathhouse and surrounding lands as well as paying the mother reparation. Meeka dreaded to think what penalty the dragon would demand now he had his own female to protect. Then of course there was rape. Rape was exceptionally rare in the spirit world; as Meeka understood it, such a thing was a crime of anger rather than passion. Spirits must have a different make up to humans as it happened so infrequently, but there had been individuals desperate enough to force themselves on another, but again usually for the purposes of procreation. If that ever happened in the bathhouse, Master Haku would not have to intervene; the staff would tear the offender limb from limb.

A grey cloud floated across the moon. Meeka sighed; maybe it would start raining after all.

"**MEEKA!**" a voice snapped, making the wood spirit jump. Rin was stalking up the corridor and Meeka cursed herself for not remembering she was Watch Leader tonight. The waspish woman was extremely strict; why Mistress Chihiro liked her so much was beyond Meeka. "That's the third time I've caught you daydreaming this week!" the woman growled. "If I catch you once more, I'll put you on slopping out the pig pen!"

Meeka wrinkled her nose delicately at the thought. Her sense of smell was very acute and such a task would probably make her vomit; which was why Rin was so fond of the threat when dealing with spirits such as herself.

"I'm sorry," Meeka whispered, sounding as abject as possible. "I was just checking the weather; it looks like it may turn bad." Rin glanced at the window.

"That is of little concern to you who should be looking for intruders; you need to learn to stay on task and…" Rin trailed off and frowned at the window. The grey cloud that looked heavy with rain seemed to have swelled since Meeka had first seen it. Storms were nothing unusual on the plain but this cloud was isolated; the rest of the night sky was still clear. Meeka saw what interested Rin so much. The night was still; not even the grass was moving in the silver light, yet the cloud was moving, and rapidly.

Rin muttered a spell under her breath; Meeka recognised a far-see spell when she heard one. Rin gasped and stepped back from the window with a jerk. The colour had drained from the spirit's face, leaving her as pale as death.

"Meeka," Rin whispered at last. "Go and wake Haku up."

"But he is so weak!" Meeka protested.

"**GO!**" Rin roared suddenly. "Tell him we are about to be attacked, and if I'm any judge of these things, by a considerable force; this is a small _army_ not the small force he was expecting."

Meeka's ginger ears flattened and the hair rose at the back of her neck. She was incensed.

"Who dares attack Master Haku?" she hissed.

"**MOVE, CAT! NOW!**" Rin shouted, her voice squeaking slightly through fear.

Meeka found herself tearing down the hallway on all fours; her claws digging into the wood of the floorboards, giving her extra purchase and speed; ringed tail streaming behind her, like a banner.

Rin glanced at the cloud once more; it was looming even larger than before.

"Lady, help us all," she whispered. Then she turned and sprinted away to raise the alarm.

* * *

Rin, Linca and Zeniba all stood at the main gates. A horde of shadow people had gathered before the bathhouse. They stood in silent ranks on the opposite side of the bridge. There were a few other spirits among them. Zeniba saw some wood and grassland spirits, mainly low level non-bonded spirits that had boar or lizard characteristics; the type of spirits that were more brawn than brain, and therefore easy to hire as mercenaries. 

"I estimate two thousand out there, at least," muttered Zeniba.

"The shadow spirits are not powerful; it's the mercenaries that will be a problem," murmured Rin.

"You're right," nodded Zeniba. "And this place only has one approach for those on the ground so it's easy to defend. However, with such numbers involved, any shield we erect will not last long."

"Perhaps that is the intent," said Linca, her white, marble-like eyes surveying the invaders. "Knock out the shields and keep us busy while the mercenaries get in and out as quickly as possible."

"Or they could just try to raze the place to the ground" growled Rin darkly.

"That is not their intent," said a tired voice.

Slowly; painfully, Haku shuffled toward them. Meeka fussed about him like an old mother hen. He had lost weight and his face had thinned. His hair was lank and lifeless with none of its characteristic lustre. He was paler than anything that was still breathing should be, and there were large shadows beneath his eyes. His eyes seemed overlarge, and burned with a feverish intensity; it was clear to all that it was through will alone that he remained awake.

"You look like death warmed up," Linca commented with her usual tact. "Fat lot of good you are going to be to us; you can barely walk!" she scoffed. The emerald eyes focused on her and suddenly Linca wished she had not spoken. The jade depths were full of a cold determination that made her shudder.

"Yubaba wants this place in one piece," he said quietly. "I think the damage will be minimal. It is us they wish to incapacitate." A chilly smile touched his bloodless lips. "Kamaji has planned a warm welcome for them and you have all been drilled in your responsibilities by General Rin." His smile broadened and his teeth peeped at the worried looking spirit woman. "Was it really necessary to have long distance runs for the Yunnas who were off shift? I've had nothing but complaints since I woke up."

Rin blushed but mumbled in her defence about how out of condition they all were.

"Try curbing your megalomaniacal tendencies, just a little, Rin; this is a bathhouse, not a barracks." The teeth flashed again. "But you have done an excellent job; you all have. Thanks to you, we are ready for them. They would really need twice the numbers that they have here to overrun us. Conquest is not their agenda; this is merely a distraction."

"It's a fairly serious distraction, Haku," murmured Rin ruefully. She was treated to the same gaze Linca had received a few moments before. Then Haku shrugged.

"Perhaps, but we do not even know what they want yet."

As if awaiting his words, a large boar spirit started to cross the bridge. He had an impressive set of tusks, which he had tipped with steel. He wore boiled leather armour of the finest quality and his bristle covered body had many long pink scars received over many battles. He stopped half way across and the small piggy eyes regarded the group of spirits gathered at the main gate dispassionately. His ears twitched and he snorted.

"What do you want, pig!" shouted Linca, before anyone could stop her. The boar grunted but gave no other indication that he was insulted.

"We are assembled at the behest of the mighty Yubaba!" he announced, his voice rasping. "She claims to be the rightful owner of the property. If you wish to avoid conflict, disband your forces and disable your defences. On your surrender, the dragon Kohaku will be taken into our custody; the rest of you have no involvement in this issue and have the chance to go free if you yield now."

"Well, well," said Haku to himself. "I'm popular today."

"There is no way my sister could assemble such a force," muttered Zeniba. "There is another involved in this. Shadow spirits are not easily led and are normally peaceful."

"It matters not!" growled Rin. "They are not having this place or my sister's mate!" She turned to the dragon. "Can you fight or do I have to baby-sit you?" Haku's hand fell to his sword, which was resting at his side.

"My form will not be perfect, but I'll be able to hold my own."

"Good," grunted Rin. She moved forward. The bladed staff clasped in her hand made an impressive walking stick.

"Where are you going?" asked Linca.

"To give our answer," said Rin in an offhand way. "Want to join me?" The former land spirit had an assortment of knives strapped to various parts of her anatomy and two were now held in her small, delicate hands.

The two marched across the bridge and refused the boar's offer. It was all incredibly civilised. Rin decapitated the mercenary after he threatened to eviscerate Linca. The head disappeared into the gorge beneath the bridge and black blood gushed over the planks as the body toppled backwards.

"That's going to take forever to scrub out!" gasped Meeka. Zeniba looked at Meeka sharply; quite sure the wood spirit's brain had addled.

"That will have got their attention; crude but effective," Haku grinned. The scent of blood curled up his nostrils, hot and heady. He licked his lips, relishing the prospect of spilling more. He was in an incredibly bad mood from his mind numbing lack of energy and his body was unresponsive and slow; a change of form would be in order if he was going to do any real damage. A dragon was dangerous even when on the point of collapse. Instinct would take over and he would slaughter hundreds before the day was out. If he could get through this, Chihiro would return and the crippling drain on his power would cease. The possibility that things could go horribly wrong was there, however. He did not want to think about it but it nagged at him. He could not get rid of the thought that this was all fitting in very nicely with someone's plans. Haku did not like to think of himself as a pawn but the possibility was very real. He turned to the old witch beside him.

"If things go awry, I want you to look after Chihiro." Zeniba stared at him, hardly believing her ears. Haku unsheathed a dagger from his tunic, and with one swift movement, cut a lock of teal and black hair from his head and handed it to the witch.

"Give her that and tell her I love her," he ordered, while sheathing the dagger and drawing his sword. It took him a moment to stop trembling but the weakness passed and his resolve hardened.

"You will be asking me for this back at the end, Haku" said Zeniba softly. "And you can tell Chihiro you love her yourself, not that she does not know already."

"I hope so," he whispered and glared out at the rapidly retreating Rin and Linca. The shadowy horde were pursuing them over the bridge and those spirits that had carried other spirits in started to spiral up into the air to gain enough height to attack. The grey predawn light had faded and the sun's rays broke over the horizon, painting the landscape burnt orange and red.

Rin and Linca sprinted through the gates and they were closed behind them. Steel bars braced the gates and fire spirits welded them in place. Blue light glowed around the bath house and sulphur gave the air a tang. It took over fifty magic users to erect a shield of the size needed and it was only temporary. Everyone knew the invaders would get in eventually, and then it would come down to fighting in the corridors. However, the staff knew the territory and were well prepared. The invaders were nearly to the gate when the bridge exploded beneath them. Haku estimated that Kamaji's dynamite had just lowered invader numbers by over a hundred. The roars and squeals of the dying and injured assaulted his sensitive ears, accompanied by the scent of charred flesh. The battle for the bathhouse had begun.

* * *

Yubaba was hopping mad. She could hardly remember a time when she was so angry. Her hair was loose from her customary high bun and the grey tresses snaked around her. Her eyes were wide and blood shot and smoke was beginning to curl from her mouth. Actually, thinking about it, she _could_ remember a time when she had been that angry. 

"_**What did you do with my baby?**" She flew at the boy who had simply wondered into the nursery as if he owned the place. Her hair had wrapped around his back, shoulders and neck. Flames from her mouth had licked around him. He made no move to free himself. He met her furious gaze calmly, his green eyes showing nothing but contempt for her. It was then Yubaba had realised she had lost all control over him. She felt fear as those ethereal eyes stared back at her. _

"_He's with your sister," said the boy dragon coldly…_

Yubaba felt her anger heat further. Flames sparked on her lips and teeth. He had been an arrogant lizard even then. He had grown so much worse since gaining his full powers. There was hardly anyone left who came close to him in power, his damn river was so well protected and he had leaned so much from her… too much. Yubaba growled to herself. The only one who could give the dragon a run for his money was behind the doors before her and she was none too pleased with him at the moment.

She shoved the doors open and stomped into the open air hall of translucent white marble. Kenshin sat on his black throne, poring diligently over maps and papers. Two shadow spirits aided him; one acted as a scribe, the other seemed to be a general dogsbody, pouring wine for him and sorting papers into neat piles. The cursed air spirit had some sort of affinity with the shadow people. They probably owed him something. Little was known about the shadow people, they rarely talked to those outside their race. All that was certain was that the older they became, the less of a form they seemed to have. Some looked almost human while others were shapeless black masses with pits where some sort of eyes should be. They were a closed society but the air spirit was treating them as his servants.

The air spirit himself did not even acknowledge her presence; his head remained bent over papers, leaving the witch to froth at the mouth. After a few moments of being utterly ignored Yubaba could stand it no longer.

"**YOU! THEY ARE BLOWING HOLES IN MY BATHHOUSE!**" she shrieked. Kenshin winced at the sound and finally turned to her. One black eyebrow rose, the only outward sign he gave that the witch was irritating him.

"Calm yourself," he said softly, "you look terrible." The flames licked higher from the witch's mouth.

"You said they would not damage the bathhouse!" she protested. Cold grey eyes locked with her own, and Yubaba felt her anger lessen as a shudder passed up her spine.

"I well remember what I said," Kenshin said coolly. "I told you there would be minimal damage. This is a battle; be glad if the place is still standing at the end of it."

Yubaba shrieked with renewed indignation.

"That's my Bathhouse, you fool! You have no idea what it's like to see something you have built with your own hands destroyed!"

The wind above her head howled as the spirit before her stood. He casually brushed the matt black hair back from his face as if to give Yubaba an unimpeded view of his strange eyes that held the wisdom of the ages in their depths. Deliberately he strolled towards the witch and just as deliberately he slowly raised his right hand. The blow was so swift it took Yubaba's brain a moment to realise that she was on the floor and that her nose was bleeding. She looked up disbelievingly at the figure in black standing over her. His eyes were still cold and dispassionate, as if he was bored with the situation already. He clenched and unclenched his fist making the joints pop ominously.

"Get up," he said gently. Then he turned from her and draped himself over his throne. Yubaba struggled to her feet, feeling numb with shock. "I have something to take your mind off things while the battle continues," he said conversationally, as if it had been someone else who had just backhanded her.

"Swamp Bottom's mistress is indisposed at the moment. Go to the cottage and bring me her seal; I need it." Yubaba bowed low and shuffled away but his voice called out to her again, low and seductive as always; it slipped into her mind with frightening ease.

"Yubaba?"

She turned and looked back at him; he was not even paying attention to her. The air spirit's head was bent over a map one of the shadow spirits had just handed him.

"If you ever come before me again in such a state, I'll kill you. Do not presume that because you woke me up I will tolerate being ranted at."

Yubaba felt her heart grow cold but she bowed with deference and shuffled away.

"It's all for the bathhouse," she murmured. "It will be worth it in the end; it's all for the bathhouse." She smiled to herself and imagined what she would say to Haku when she took back what was hers. "He will not be so arrogant then!" she grinned. "It will all be worth it."


	12. Burning

**Ok I have had a few comments about Kenshin. I wrote about him when I was still an anime virgin and did not know that there was a red headed swordsman with questionable dress sense and a split personality that had the same name. So just to set the record straight, my Kenshin would never wear pink though he is handy with a blade ;-) Think of him as Battousai on a VERY bad day. **

_**Burning**_

Chihiro had decided to give her mother three more days to make sure she was well on the road to recovery. Yuuko steadily improved and was out of bed and even took a bath on the second day. On the third day, Chihiro came downstairs to find her mother trying to prepare breakfast for her.

"Mum! What are you doing?" Chihiro exclaimed snatching at the jam covered knife Yuuko was purposely wielding.

"I'm fine, Chihiro," sighed her mother.

"No, you're not," snapped Chihiro. She took her mother by the shoulders and guided her to the sofa. "You were at death's door a few days ago. I have not selflessly nursed you back to health to see you tire yourself now. Don't make me regret using so much of Haku's power. Now sit down and don't move!" Suitably chastised Yuuko lowered herself into the seat.

"Oh, alright," she groaned. "But I do think I'm well enough to make a bit of toast; it won't kill me to wait 5 minute for the toaster to do its job."

"Toast?" Chihiro sniffed the air. The aroma of burning bread suddenly filled her lungs, making her swear. She dashed to the kitchen and popped the incinerated bread out of the toaster and opened a window, hoping to dispel the black cloud before the smoke alarm went off.

She was still muttering to herself about her mother's stubbornness when white hot pain lanced through her stomach. Chihiro cried out and had to grab the kitchen counter for support as she doubled over. It felt like someone had just ripped open her stomach and was in the process of eviscerating her. She opened her eyes, expecting to see loops of pink intestine spilling onto the kitchen floor. But there was nothing, just agony with no obvious cause.

Her mother and father were trying to get her to tell them what was wrong but she could only wail and tremble. Her father seemed to think her appendix had ruptured. If she could have, Chihiro would have laughed. Bile rose in her throat. Her tongue felt overly thick and clumsy in her mouth. She retched, expecting blood to pour from her mouth, but she only dribbled saliva; there was nothing in her stomach to bring up. Her sight seemed to be darkening around the edges, she shook and cold sweat ran down her face. Her mother wanted to call an ambulance but Chihiro shook her head. She was still wanted by the police and if she went to hospital she was sure she would end up on a psychiatric ward. She retched again, her body desperately trying to expel what was hurting her. But the pain was a phantom with no outward cause. Through the haze that was beginning to cloud her vision, Chihiro managed to focus on the hand that gripped the kitchen counter with white knuckles. The mating scar on the back of her hand was bleeding freely, as if it had been reopened. She also managed to register that the Tac'Tal at her throat was burning hot enough to blister the skin it was in contact with. Desperately, she tried to focus on the object, hoping it would tell her what was going on. She tried to concentrate and was making some headway when pain burst in her head as if she had been struck and suddenly she could not see. Her legs buckled and she hit the floor.

"Haku," she breathed, but there was no answer. She blacked out.

* * *

Yubaba had returned. Kenshin regretted losing his temper with the old witch; such a vile display of temper was not becoming for one of his station. He was as calm as a warm breeze most of the time; in fact he prided himself on his emotional detachment from everyone and everything, however, the witch's petty concerns had been laid before him at exactly the wrong time. His spy master had just reported to him that they could find no trace of the human girl in the bathhouse, then Yubaba had stormed in. The girl's absence had both annoyed and worried him.

An hour ago, he had been informed that despite the fall of the defences of the bathhouse, the place was still firmly in his opponents' hands. It had not been necessary to win the battle but it would have been a big bonus and made things easier for him in the long run. The plan had been to weaken the dragon by harming the human's family. Thus, when they attacked, getting at the human would be much easier without her rabid mate protecting her. It also had the double advantage of keeping Zeniba away from her home.

He had spent time puzzling over his lost human problem. Eventually, it occurred to him that the dragon just might have been stupid enough to send the girl to her own world to care for her mother. At first he refused to countenance such a thing. Haku was a water spirit; they were famous for thinking with their hearts instead of their heads, but opening a portal and protecting the girl in the other world bordered on insanity! The power it would take was unimaginable; it would have been easier to send a spirit rather than the human bonded to the spirit world. But the more Kenshin thought about it, the more he began to think the dragon may have attempted what should be almost impossible.

Kenshin eventually admitted to himself that he had made a near fatal error and underestimated his opponent. The plan could adapt, he had ensured that, so it was not a catastrophe and the situation could even be turned to his advantage. Thus he was in a much better mood when Yubaba returned, and he had only minutes earlier been informed that the battle had yielded him a wonderful consolation prize. And at least the other part of his plan had gone smoothly so far. On the palm of Yubaba's knarled, trembling hand, lay Zeniba's solid gold monogrammed seal; a gift to the witch from the Gods. It was a very useful trinket, having the power to concentrate and purify magic. As a skilled sword smith would choose to work with the best steel, the seal allowed the user to access a superior form of magic. The user still needed skill to use it, but the end product would be of finer quality and greater strength. Kenshin needed it for his plan; only the purest, strongest magic would instigate what he wanted.

Saying nothing to the shaking witch, who knelt with her head bowed at the foot of his throne. Kenshin lifted the seal from her palm and walked to the back of the hall. Behind his modest throne, resting on a pure platinum tripod, was a huge ball of pure obsidian. Kenshin had travailed tirelessly for two months to find such a large, flawless stone. Indeed the head sized stone was probably the largest in existence within the spirit world. The stone was rare and had cost him a fortune. The spirit had spent a further three months polishing it to an oily black gleam and "feeding" it with his own magic and blood. On top of the ball he had carefully carved a square depression. It was into this that Kenshin placed the gold seal.

He stepped back. The black ball took on a red sheen and then power crackled through the entire hall like static. Yubaba gasped and her hair would have stood on end if it had not been pinned into a bun. The red light grew more intense and then the seal on top of the ball turned white. A beam of white light shot from the top of the seal and headed up into the harsh blue sky where it disappeared. Kenshin ran a hand through his matt black hair; it was damp with sweat.

"It has begun," he whispered, still staring at the red ball and then letting his grey eyes follow the white light skyward. He could almost feel the minute changes that were already taking place. It would be some time before anyone would notice. Hopefully, by the time they did, those who would stop him would be taken care of.

"Are you sure there is no other way?" Yubaba whispered. Kenshin did not mind her questioning him on this; the prospect was daunting even for him.

"I am sure," he replied. "Have courage, Yubaba. If all goes well, you will have a whole new market to cater for."

"I'm not letting them anywhere near my bathhouse!" the witch spluttered.

Kenshin smiled at the witch and turned from the mesmerising ball to where the witch was still kneeling. He fixed her with an enquiring gaze and saw her try to hide a wince.

"You did so once," he said flatly.

"And look where it got me!" the witch retorted. "No money, no bathhouse, no child and having to rely on the charity of a…" Yubaba snapped her mouth shut, her large eyes widening. Kenshin watched with approval as she calmed herself. "Not that I am not grateful to you, you have done much and asked for nothing."

"Being made aware of the prophecy was payment enough, Yubaba. I now know who may try to interfere and as they say, forewarned is forearmed." He paused for a moment as if considering something and allowed himself a smug smile as the witch started to tremble again. "You may go," he said at last. He returned to watching the obsidian ball, turning his back to the witch. He heard Yubaba mutter to herself as she left, obviously forgetting about his sensitive hearing.

"They also say pride comes before a fall."

Kenshin's lips quirked in a half smile and he let the comment pass. The witch was old and cranky and he could not chastise her every transgression; it was in her nature to be outspoken. Besides, it kept him humble. The last thing he needed was to embark on a power crazed crusade. He had done that before and it was highly overrated.

* * *

Chihiro slowly opened her eyes. She had a headache and her stomach felt quite tender. She moved her hands over herself, checking for injuries. There were none. She realised that the ceiling she was staring at was the one that belonged to her bedroom. Nowhere else in her house were luminous plastic stars stuck to the ceiling and arranged in the shape of the constellation Draco. A smile touched her lips as she remembered her twelve year old self carefully arranging those stars. How she had not known that her heart completely belonged to him she did not know. Maybe she was a good liar, even to herself.

Suddenly she remembered the strange malady that had hit her in the kitchen. What had happened to her? She knew she had not stayed too long but had Haku overestimated his abilities? She remembered the bleeding mating scar, though her hand looked normal now and the scar was a thin gold line once more. Worry for her mate grabbed at her heart, causing her to whimper as if in pain. She sat up and her head swam. Undeterred, she swung her legs over the bed and even a dry retch could not stop her from standing up. Once on her feet she felt a little better. She glanced at her clock; she had been out for about two hours so it was almost lunch time. She quietly opened the door and shuffled onto the landing.

Her parents were talking downstairs. She listened while steadying herself against a wall.

"Do you have everything on the list?" Yuuko's voice floated up to her from the kitchen.

"Everything except the sticking plasters; we are out of them," said her father. There was a sound of a heavy duty zip being undone and Chihiro imagined that they must be packing a bag.

"With that funny turn she has had she should take time to recover. We should not be encouraging her to leave just yet," said Yuuko in a worried tone.

"She must do what she must. You know as well as I do, she would crawl back on her hands and knees if she had to. This is best. At least she won't be leaving us empty handed. We have done all we can; that world is calling her back and we must let her go or we shall burn all the bridges we have worked so hard to build with her," Akio declared.

Chihiro thought she must be still asleep and dreaming a very strange dream. Her father was not only defending her but it sounded like he was trying to understand her. He had never understood her but perhaps the spirit world had changed him. Chihiro decided not to question her father's change of heart and tackled the stairs one at a time. By the time she had made it to the bottom her stomach had stopped churning.

She managed to walk normally into the kitchen. Her parents both looked up from the huge black sports bag they were packing. Chihiro saw tins of food, slabs of chocolate, jars of coffee, bottles of various spirits, roles of bandage and bottles of cough and cold medicine all stuffed haphazardly into the bag.

"I think we have everything," said her mother. "I know you probably have most of this at the bathhouse but what you don't need you can throw away." The lump that appeared suddenly in Chihiro's throat seemed to want to choke her to death.

"I'll drive you down to the woods," said her father, "unless you want to stay a little longer. Don't get the impression that we are throwing you out… We just thought that after… whatever it was that happened earlier… that you would want to go back quickly." Her father stumbled over his words almost boyishly.

"You should rest!" Her mother protested.

"I have to go," said Chihiro quietly. "Something is wrong; I can feel it. I'm not sure what but it's bad enough to effect me in the human world. I must return; Haku will be very weak by now and I'm putting him at risk if I stay." Akio nodded at her words and zipped up the bag.

"I'll put this in the car. Come out when you are ready." Akio was barely out the door when Yuuko locked her daughter in a fierce embrace.

"Thank you for coming," she whispered. "And thank my son-in-law too. I may not be able to brag about him to my friends but I defy any of them to marry their daughters to a better boy."

"Son-in-law?" said Chihiro weakly.

"But of course!" her mother cried. "He is family and I love him dearly, not just because he is a good person but because I see how happy he has made you." She squeezed her daughter tighter. "Take care of yourself. And remember that I am proud of you. We will visit as soon as we can and make sure you keep writing to us."

"I will," whispered Chihiro.

Yuuko followed her out to the car. She wanted to come with Chihiro but Akio told her that she should stay at home. She was supposed to be convalescing. Chihiro added her support to her father and Yuuko headed back indoors. She waved from the window as Akio pulled his new Audi out of the drive.

"She'll cry herself silly once we are out of sight," he said.

"I know," muttered Chihiro.

The car sped down the hill. Akio was driving with his customary disregard for his own and others' safety and Chihiro clung to her seat.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Chihiro said and winced as he took another corner at breakneck speed.

"I've just not been in a car for a while. It's noisy and smelly. I much prefer travelling by train. Dragon is even better." To her surprise her father laughed.

"Well, I'm sure if I had a dragon at my disposal I would prefer to travel that way too."

There was a companionable silence between them as the car sped around another corner and turned onto the old one track road. They bumped and jiggled up the rutted road and Chihiro could see the faces of those ugly statues peeping at her from behind the new leaves on the branches.

She felt a sense of peace settle on her and a weight that she did not know had been there was lifted from her. She was almost home. Suddenly the car screeched to a halt and Chihiro's seat belt locked up to hold her in her seat. How her father had never crashed was a mystery.

She sighed and smiled with relief. The tunnel through the clock tower was before them. As much as she trusted Haku, she had been disappointed in trying to find that elusive tunnel enough times to make her almost paranoid. But it was there, flaking red plaster and all. It was an odd thing to hide a dimensional gate in but she was not going to complain. Her father opened the boot and handed her the heavy, oversized sports bag.

"Well," he said with a bright smile. "I guess this is it. We won't see you again till the summer, I suppose." Chihiro smiled back.

"It's not that far away, Dad," she said. He nodded and there was an awkward moment as neither of them could think of what to say. At last her father mumbled a gruff "thank you" and turned to get into the car.

"Wait!" cried out Chihiro. Akio turned back and looked at her expectantly. She could not leave things like this. Something was missing. Haku had said that he knew the human world was not finished with her; perhaps he was right. Maybe she had to return to make her peace with it, and her past. She covered the distance between them at a fast trot. It felt like she was running back through the years; that time was rewinding itself just for her so she could do what needed to be done. She threw her arms around her father's torso and buried her face in his shirt. She remembered his smell; her childhood memories were filled with it; strong, safe and secure. Her father, her childhood protector, her harshest critic and strongest supporter. She felt his body stiffen at the unusual contact, but she just held him tighter.

Slowly, very slowly, Akio's hands wound their way around his daughter's shoulders and he allowed himself to do something that he had not done for years through stubborn pride and a twisted sense of shame. He held his daughter and loved her just as she was.

"I love you, daddy," whispered Chihiro

"I love you too," came the strained reply.

"And I forgive you, for everything," she breathed. Chihiro heard Akio catch his breath and looked up into the face of the first man she had ever loved. Akio was crying. The tears were rolling down his features and wetting the collar of his shirt. He let go of her and wiped at his eyes.

"You'd best be going now," he said, his voice breaking. "Your mother will be worried if I am away too long." Chihiro nodded, her own tears joining her father's. She turned and slung her bag over her shoulder.

"Farwell, daughter," called Akio as she stepped into the tunnel. Chihiro did not look back. She had no need to; she had done everything she had come to do.

* * *

The building howled as she exited it. The new-grown grass of the rolling hills that characterised the border land between the two worlds was lush and verdant green. Chihiro smiled. It was a beautiful place in its own way. But she had to hurry, her family would be expecting her back and she had so much to tell them and had to share out the goodies that her parents given her. Most of all, she needed to see her mate's face. Excited, she closed her eyes and concentrated, mentally reaching for him. She wanted to let him know she was here and have him come and meet her so they could be reunited properly before the rest of her family claimed her.

She frowned. She still could not find him, there was just the same grey static feeling that she got in the human world.

"I'm still not technically in the spirit world; that will probably be it." But there was a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. It had been there since she had blacked out in the kitchen that morning. She started to jog down the hill and was sprinting by the time she reached the dry river bed. The smell of smoke tickled her nostrils; wood smoke. Alarm bells chimed in her head and she pushed herself harder. She bounded up the steps despite her heavy bag and tore through the shabby street, desperately hoping she would not find what her nose told her she would.

She ignored the fact that there was wooden debris littering the street and she ignored the damaged buildings. Panting, she mounted the second flight of stone steps, taking them two at a time; she reached the top and skidded to a halt. Her bag slipped from her shoulder and slid to the ground. Some of the contents shattered; she did not even notice. She gazed at the sight before her with dismay.

The bathhouse was burning.


	13. Spirited Away

**A/N sorry for the wait folks but it is here, one word of warning, don't read this just after eating. **

**_Spirited Away._**

Chihiro could hardly believe her eyes. Red fire spewed from the top floors and there was a large hole in the dormitory wing that had exposed several floors to the outside world. Chihiro noticed strange details, like the clashing decors of the separate floors she could see through the wound in the bathhouse side. Every window in the building looked as if it had shattered. The red, painted teak bridge that linked the pillar of rock that the bathhouse perched on to the rest of the sprit town was gone. Someone had strung three ropes across the chasm; two ropes for handrails and one to balance the feet on. Whoever had erected it must have been desperate to get in, or out for that matter. Chihiro was not sure which at the moment. She stood perfectly still, transfixed by the dancing flames that licked hungrily at the top floors. Slowly it began to dawn on her that the bathhouse had been attacked in her absence and she was seeing the aftermath.

"Yubaba, what have you done?" Chihiro breathed. She crossed the rope without thinking, not even looking down, trapped in an almost dream-like state. The swaying ropes and the yawning drop did not register in her mind. Wood smoke filled her nostrils; her senses still functioned with the improvements that came from being mated to a dragon. Soon she smelt other things, predominately burnt flesh.

She had barely stepped from the makeshift bridge when she saw her first body. A boar spirit, dressed in thick boiled leather armour. The side of its black bristled face had been burnt, pulling its mouth to one side in a gruesome smirk that made its clouded staring eyes seem almost alive, like it was sneering at her. Its stomach had been laid open by a sword or perhaps a claw; stomach and intestine had slithered across the ground and had been stepped on many times, rupturing the organs and spilling their contents. The smell was indescribable, even a stink spirit did not compare. The strange detachment Chihiro had been feeling started to evaporate and she felt sick. She quickly walked past the body and pushed her way through the splintered remains of the doors and found herself on the first main bathing floor.

It was carnage. There must have been at least seventy bodies littering the polished floors. Almost transparent remains of shadow spirit that oozed silver blood, more boar spirits in various stages of dismemberment, here and there a lizard spirit with jewelled eyes and blue scales and there were yunnas, so many yunnas. Chihiro thought she recognised the yunnas that lay nearest to her. Half the woman's face was torn away, revealing teeth, gums and bone. A river of blood had coagulated to a foul smelling jelly on the floor. Chihiro realised she was standing in it. She shuffled backwards but slipped in the viscous substance; she lost her balance and fell backwards. Her rump hit the floor with a sickening squelch, but reality still kept its distance until she put her hand through a shadow spirit's chest as she tried to lever herself back up. It was still warm. She pulled her hand back with a gasp and looked at it. Silver blood covered it and started to run down her arm in shimmering rivulets and bits of acid green innards had stuck between her fingers and under her nails. The protective bubble burst. She lurched onto her hands and knees and was violently sick. Chihiro shuddered and whimpered, then rose and wiped her hand across her mouth, smearing her face with silver blood.

A million and one questions crowded into her mind, but most pressing of all was what had happened to her family? Their faces flashed before her; Kamaji cut down by a boar spirit's spear; Meeka, claws broken and blunted, fighting for her life against a swarm of shadow spirits; Linca, bleeding badly from a wound in her side, her immortal life draining away; Rin by her side, a determined yet hopeless look on her face as she prepared to defend her sister. And Haku; Haku smeared with blood, backed against a wall, sword raised, his eyes bright and feral, teeth bared and growling at his attackers.

"No!" Chihiro gasped. "Where are they?" Her shell shocked brain reasoned that if the top of the bathhouse was on fire then any survivors would be fighting the blaze. That was if there were any survivors. She pushed that last thought aside and allowed herself to hope.

It was obvious that the bulk of the fighting had taken place on the lower floors. She was not sure who she would meet, friend or foe, if she tried to ascend by the normal route. The elevators were probably not even working and it was never wise to use them while there was a fire. She limped away from the corpse-filled room, trying her best not to slip again. Once back outside in the relatively fresh air, she crawled through the small door to the courtyard gardens; the same door her mate had rushed her through all those years ago. This area of the bathhouse seemed relatively untouched; it seemed the attackers had concentrated on getting in, not wholesale destruction of the building. Leaving the gardens, Chihiro almost ran past what she was looking for; a ladder. There were a few of these ladders. They ran up the length of the bathhouse and they were mainly used for cleaning and maintaining windows, but were also a lifeline in the event of a fire, though most would be leaving by them, not trying to get in like Chihiro. She began to climb. Hand over hand, step by step, she scaled the wall. She had to take a few breaks; she was not a nimble ten year old with boundless energy anymore. Panting and sweating, she made it to the end of the ladder, her arms shaking with the effort. The window this ladder stopped at was on the mid level floors, above the worst of the fighting, Chihiro hoped. Looking up she thought the fire seemed less fierce. Perhaps there really was someone trying to put it out?

She gritted her teeth and swung her feet up onto the window ledge. She ignored the yawning drop below her and pushed on the window, which miraculously seemed to still have glass in it but it was locked. Cursing, Chihiro pulled her sleeve over her hand and put her fist through the glass. Shards pierced the cloth and scratched her deeply and her knuckles did not appreciate the rough treatment and split open. Reaching in and undoing the hasp, she tumbled into a hallway with a cry. She picked herself up and squatted, ready to dart away if she had been heard. She really regretted leaving her dagger behind in her apartment even if she was still very bad at using it. But she did have her hair sticks and she removed the needle thin blades from their sheaths and felt immediately better with a blade in each hand. They might not inflict too much damage but it was better than being totally unarmed. Slowly she stood and looked around her. The hallway was unlit and empty. She pressed herself against the wall and keeping to the shadows she moved down the corridor on almost silent feet. She could still smell blood and burning but there were no signs of fighting here. She found a stairway and forced her complaining legs to climb. Higher and higher the stairs took her and the burning smell grew stronger.

Finally she arrived at the top floor. She could hear voices in the distance and there were wood and bits of screen scattered everywhere, accompanied by piles of rubble from holes being blown in the roof and all the wood bore scorch marks. Among the detritus were more bodies, some were so badly burned it was had to tell what type of spirit they had been. Taking shallow breaths, Chihiro followed the sound of the voices. She peered cautiously around a corner and found her firefighters. Two yunnas and some sort of bird spirit were throwing buckets of rainbow coloured sand on the flames. The fire hissed and retreated significantly with each bucket thrown. Behind these spirits were four more, hands joined and chanting an incantation. Twenty more buckets shimmered into existence.

"How much more will you need?" shouted one soot covered spirit.

"About another thirty to save this section, can you manage that?" whistled the bird spirit over his shoulder.

"We will have to," replied the first spirit tiredly. "Everyone else is busy."

Chihiro froze. It had taken her a little time to recognise her but the voice gave her away; low, throaty and heavily accented. Linca was covered in soot from head to toe. Holes had been burnt in her tunic and she had a large cut up her right arm and another across the bridge of her nose which was quite possibly broken. With her hair singed and ragged she looked more like a soot ball than the elegant spirit she was most of the time.

Chihiro stepped out from behind the corridor and Linca looked up. Time stretched out for a moment and all Chihiro was aware of was the crackling fire and the shocked white eyes staring into her own.

"Chi… Chihiro," Linca choked out. Chihiro's lip wobbled, she was so relieved to see her.

"Will… Will someone please tell me what is going on?" she whimpered. Linca freed herself from her fellow spell casters and limped towards her human sister. She did not seem pleased to see her. She took the human's hands in her own.

"Get away from here now, Chi," she said gently. "You should not have returned yet, you still have a few days, go back for now." Chihiro opened her mouth to tell Linca about what had sent her rushing back but she thought better of it, settling for a shake of the head.

"Alright," Linca sighed. "I can't force you to leave. How you have made it this far without running into a mercenary is beyond me; the bathhouse is still crawling with stragglers."

"What happened?" asked Chihiro in a whisper.

"I don't have time to give you the story now, Chihiro, I am needed. The best thing you can do is go somewhere safe and wait until things are under control again."

"I want to help!" cried Chihiro. Linca shook her head.

"You can't do magic and your defences are poor if you are attacked. We want you safe. Please, for once do as I ask. Your old room will be the best place for you, that floor was hardly hit."

"Why can't I go to my apartment surely it's much more secure and…"

"It's not there anymore, Chihiro," said Linca quietly.

Chihiro frowned. Not there? That place was her home; how could it suddenly just be gone? She stared blankly at her sister, not able to grasp what she was getting at.

"I'll take you down," Linca sighed, not liking the look on Chihiro's face. The land spirit tugged on Chihiro's hand but Chihiro snatched her hand away.

"I don't need an escort, Linca," she said sharply. "I can find my own way there. You're right, you are needed here." Linca looked at her, unsure, but she eventually nodded.

"Be careful, sister, I meant what I said, the bathhouse is not safe. Use the servant's stairs and be as quiet as possible. When you reach your room, bolt the door and move some furniture over it too. I'll knock five times when I come and get you." She gave Chihiro a brief but vicious hug, then the diminutive sprite hobbled back to the fire and smoke.

"Be safe; we have lost enough already, do not add yourself by being careless, or I'll beat you senseless," shouted Linca over her shoulder.

Chihiro headed for the stairs again and tried not to think about the loss of her apartment. Her stomach still clenched with fear for her family and friends but Linca would have told her if any harm had come to them. She relaxed a little and concentrated on descending the rickety servant's stairs without them creaking. That meant she had to move painfully slowly. She strained her hearing but could hear nothing but the crackling of the fires and the creak of damaged timbers. She wondered how Haku was. Had he been injured? He was probably fighting fires or clearing out invaders. She tried to call to him again but received only echoes in her mind of her own words. She could still feel him somewhere but she could get nothing exact. She sighed and stopped trying. He was probably so busy he could not spare the energy to reply to her.

"I need to trust him to do what he has to do. I will see him when he is finished." She really could not help him even if he was injured. She needed to be a good little human and get out of the way. It hurt her that she was a hindrance but this was no time for foolish pride.

She made it to the corridor that her old room was on without incident. The corridor was indeed in good condition compared to the upper floors; there had been fighting but judging by the minimal damage it had been sporadic. Only the odd door and wall bore the scars of the recent chaos. There were a few drips of blood on the floor but no bodies or dismembered limbs. She slipped silently from the stairs and crept along the corridor, keeping close to the wall. She could see the door to her old room but she took no joy at finding herself in relative safety. Her family were risking their lives and all she was doing was hiding.

"I'm not useless," she muttered. "I could do something."

Afterwards, Chihiro was sure that some evil spirit or God somewhere heard her and decided to test her. Either that or the universe had a sick sense of humour. In any case, her luck held just long enough for her to become aware she was being followed; the faintest creak of a floor board out with her own movements. The Tac' Tal flared with a warning. Her breath and heart stopped and she froze for a split second. Instinct took over; she dropped to a crouch and rolled sideways, her shoulder colliding painfully with the side of the corridor. She was on her feet in a second and she spun to meet her stalker. It was a large mass of shadow spirit; vacant holes of eyes regarded her. Chihiro had always found the formless spirits with their empty, eyeless sockets creepy, but this one was terrifying, mainly because of the large double bladed axe it was pulling out of the wall where her head had been but a few moments ago. This spirit meant to kill her. She trembled; the spirit was leaking silver blood from a number of wounds. It pulled the axe from the wall and hefted it experimentally.

"_It's dying,"_ thought Chihiro absently. The trembling had become shaking, the adrenalin pumping through her body screamed for movement, for fight or flight, it did not matter. But her feet would not move; she was paralysed with fear.

"_Run you idiot!"_ she thought to herself. _"Or you're going to be chopped to bits!"_

But she could not move; she could barely breathe. The spirit advanced at a leisurely pace. There were ten feet between them, then eight, then five and all Chihiro could do was watch.

"_I really am useless!"_ she thought. _"I can't even save myself!"_ The spirit raised its axe and Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting the last thing she saw to be that wickedly glinting weapon.

"**RUN"** a voice as large as an ocean pounded through her head. **"RUN NOW!" **

She ducked. The movement was well practiced and smooth and she scrambled away from the spirit. She was running for a few seconds before she opened her eyes. She vaulted over two corpses on the floor without even thinking, she just kept running. The uncontrollable fear that had turned her to stone now leant wings to her feet. Her thigh muscles burned and her lungs laboured, her still trembling hands found her hair sticks. They would be little protection against the huge spirit. She was tiring and a stitch niggled in her side making it more difficult to run.

"**FASTER!"** demanded the voice. She tried with all her might to quicken the movement of her leaden legs but again fate conspired against her.

She turned a corner and skidded to a halt. The corridor had collapsed; there was a gaping hole in the ceiling that seemed to go up about ten floors and she could see blue sky above. Her way was blocked by rubble and detritus from the floors above, and judging by the smell there were a few charred bodies in the mountain of broken floorboards, plaster and rubble. Chihiro looked up at the sky and wanted to howl with the unfairness of it all. If she were a spirit she could have easily jumped to the next floor, but it was beyond her human body. She tried scrambling up the rubbish, hoping to gain enough height to pull herself though the hole, but the mound was unstable and moved under her feet, sending her crashing to the ground. She landed on her rump, right in front of her pursuer. Chihiro yelled and with no forethought grasped her hair sticks and plunged them into the formless mass of dark shadows. The spirit reeled back and squealed in pain. The hair sticks seemed to be absorbed into its body, causing much more damage within. But the spirit was already dying and determined to kill her before it breathed its last. It advanced again and Chihiro had nowhere else to go except try to scramble backwards up the pile of debris.

"Why are you doing this?" she shouted at the spirit. "I've never done anything to anger your kind!" The spirit paused for a moment then it whispered an answer in a dry, papery voice.

"For the future, it would be better for all if you died."

"You're mad!" Chihiro shouted desperately. "How on earth can you know the future; no one can." The spirit said no more, just raised its axe and came after her. Chihiro's hands frantically searched behind her as she scrambled back. She needed something, anything to defend herself with. She backed higher up the slope, nearly slipping twice but nothing useable came to her hands.

"_Please,"_ she begged the universe at large. _"Anything will do; a pipe, a thick bit of wood, a kitchen knife, ANYTHING!" _The spirit wobbled on the unstable rubbish, obviously losing strength.

"_If I can hold it off for a few moments it will die_," she thought frantically. Hope blazed bright and warm. "I don't want to die here!" she hissed, and then her hand closed over something cool and hard. It felt like a smooth stone cylinder that was sunk into the heap. She had run out of time; the spirit was upon her she had to use it or nothing. With a cry she pulled it from the heap and held it before her in both hands. It was longer than she expected; much longer and very heavy. It was pulling her downwards towards the spirit, making her slip down the slope. She locked her elbows and turned her head away. There was a thud and a squelch and something warm hit her cheek. After a few agonising moments of waiting to be hit with the axe, Chihiro turned back to look the spirit. It was impaled on the thing she held in her hands. Silver blood ran down the object and over her hands, painting everything. She was spattered all over with it. The axe had fallen from its hands and its vacant eye sockets had sunk into black nothing. It was dead and she was holding it up. Chihiro swallowed and pulled her makeshift weapon from the spirit's body. It slumped and tumbled down the slope.

Chihiro could hardly believe she was alive; she was alive and that was a good thing but she could not decide what to do next. She felt a little lost and hollow, the peril was gone and left a vacuum in its place. She mentally ran over what had happened, the voice in her head had puzzled her, it sounded familiar but... The answer eluded her. Her attention turned to what she still held in her hands. It was long, thin and sharp except the part she was holding which was thicker and more rounded.

"_Katana,"_ her mind supplied.

"_I must truly be blessed if I can find a sword in a pile of rubble,"_ she thought slightly cynically. The entire sword was covered in silver blood. She stuck it into the heap, hoping to use it as support to help her down. An irreverent way to treat it, perhaps, but she did not fancy falling and landing on a dead shadow spirit. As she changed her grip on it she noticed a flash of green between her fingers. She steadied herself and let go of the sword. The hilt was made of carved jade which had been what made the weapon so heavy. The jade was carved into the shape of a flying dragon with a ball of obsidian in its mouth. It took her a moment to recognise it; the last time she had seen it had been months before when it had almost killed her.

It was Haku's sword.

* * *

An hour later, Linca found Chihiro sitting on the pile of rubble. She had been furious when she found Chihiro's old room empty, but she had then seen the fresh spirit blood in the corridor and fallen into a complete panic. She saw the dead spirit at the bottom of the miniature mountain of rubbish and put together what must have happened. Chihiro seemed uninjured but was acting strangely. She had ripped off the sleeve of her t shirt and was using it to clean a large dangerous looking sword that was carefully balanced on her lap. Linca, being small and agile scrambled up the slope without incident and sat beside her sister. It was strange to see Chihiro in human's clothes; they made her look older somehow. 

Chihiro continued to methodically wipe the blood off the blade and Linca finally recognised it. It was a sword that should have killed her.

"Chi," said Linca quietly. "How are you able to touch that?"

"I don't know," said Chihiro in a dead voice. "But somehow… somehow I think it wants something from me…it decided to save me." Linca nodded but worried about her sister. She had felt the same the first time she killed; numb and detached. Though for her it had been worse as it had been someone she knew.

"How is your mother?" the spirit asked, eager to distract the human.

"Better," was all Chihiro said. Linca got the impression that Chihiro was angry at her. She fell silent. Chihiro continued to clean the sword and when she was finished she asked Linca to help her find the scabbard. It did not take long and once located, Chihiro slid the blade home and undid her belt. She looped the scabbard ties around her belt then buckled it back on. The sword clashed violently with the jeans and ripped shirt Chihiro was wearing but Linca thought it better not to comment. Finally Chihiro turned to her sister and spoke.

"I can't talk to Haku. I know roughly in which direction he is but he is very far away from me. It's like we are cut off." Linca winced.

"We should get you back to your room," said the spirit firmly, starting to descend the slope. Chihiro grabbed at her hand, preventing her.

"Would you mind telling me what happened to my mate, Linca?" asked Chihiro lightly, but her grip tightened meaningfully. Linca sighed and looked at her feet. She had been dreading the question but was there ever a time to give someone bad news?

"He's not here, Chi," she said at last. She looked down into her sister's beautiful brown eyes. "They took him." She waited for Chihiro to assimilate the information.

"And who are _they_?" Chihiro asked quietly.

"We don't know," whispered Linca. "But they said they were here in Yubaba's name." Suddenly impotent rage flooded the spirit and tears flowed down her grimy face leaving clean tracks. "They came because they knew he would be weak!" she spat. "Our defences were low and he was but a shadow of himself. It was all planned, even your mother's illness, I think. He fought like only a dragon can and the sky rained with the blood of our enemies. But there were too many of them; they hurt him and caught him in a net and took him away. They taunted us lower spirits but we could do NOTHING!" she shouted. "They took your mate, Chihiro; my brother; and I will never forgive them!"

Chihiro looked at the enraged spirit and felt cold fingers of dread run over her heart. He was gone; taken from her. Things started to fall into place. What she had felt in her mother's kitchen had been the pain and anguish he had felt at the moment of his capture; the mating bond was strong enough for her to feel it across worlds. He could not answer her calls to him because he was either unconscious or incapacitated magically. When she had been paralysed by fear it had not been his voice that motivated her into action but the next best thing; his river had spoken in his place. Even his sword seemed bent on protecting her, but Chihiro was not going to trust the vicious blade.

He was gone. She tried to comprehend it. It was hard, but the gap in her mind confirmed Linca's words. She had no awareness of him except that he was south of her and very far from her, barely a glimmer in her consciousness. He was gone.

"Oh," said Chihiro at last. Then another thought hit her. "This is my fault."

"I did not say that!" protested Linca.

"You did not have to; it is because of me that he was weakened. I brought him down." She stared at the sky visible through the ragged hole. "Maybe this is the curse. All human and spirit relationships are cursed, but that did not matter to us."

"Chi, you can't think like that!" sobbed the sprite.

"But it's true; I have been his ruin," Chihiro replied calmly. The yawning emptiness inside her felt like it would consume her when she said those words. Linca looked horrified and was at a loss for what to say, her tears just fell faster. Chihiro suddenly felt very tired.

"I need to lie down," she whispered. "I need time… to think… just time." She slid down the slope and began picking her way up the corridor.

"Chi…?" Linca called after her, her voice heavy with tears.

"_Go away, Linca, just go away,"_ Chihiro thought. She could not be near the distressed spirit right now, she needed quiet and solitude. She found her room and closed and locked the door behind her. She drew the drapes and sat in the dark on her old bed. There were a few knocks at the door but she ignored them. Time flew past and it was soon dark outside. Chihiro crawled under her covers. She felt nether hunger or thirst, sorrow or rage. She felt frozen inside. He was gone. The sword jabbed her side as if trying to snap her out of her doze. She simply removed it and let it clatter to the floor. Sleep claimed her and she wearily welcomed the oblivion it brought. But her dreams were filled with echoes and silver blood. That and a dark shadow that rejoiced in her suffering.


	14. Aftermath

_**Aftermath **_

Chihiro refused to come out of her room for three days. She hardly slept and only drank water from the taps in her bathroom. She did not eat; she could not face the thought of food at all. She began to hear the bathhouse coming back to life. Repair crews hummed through the night and voices echoed in the corridor during the day. It gave her little comfort that someone was taking care of the place. What did it matter to her now? Looking back, Chihiro knew what she must have experienced was something akin to shellshock. She had shared so much of herself with Haku that the edges of their consciousness had started to blur; where Chihiro ended and Haku started had been a fluid thing, they were in truth part of each other. Now he had been ripped from her, and her shocked mind needed the time alone to adjust.

Linca, Rin and Meeka all tried to get her to open the door. In gentle, sympathetic tones they called to her, telling her they would not force her to come out but she should eat. Chihiro would just ask them quietly to leave; eventually she gave up responding altogether, leaving them to worry. Yes, she was being ridiculously selfish and there was plenty of work she could have turned her hand to but she could not shake off the feeling of emptiness for long enough to want to leave the room.

On the third day, something changed. Chihiro was curled up in the windowsill watching the early summer grass of the plain dance, a sea of lush green tips blown before a warm breeze. Strange grazing animals like oxen browsed the grass and predators hunted their herds, taking the young the old and the weak. Chihiro felt her nail catch on something and she hissed as a splinter worked its way under the nail. She pulled out the sliver of painted wood and squeezed the digit to make sure there was no wood left in the puncture wound. She sucked away the blood, crushing the thought that _someone_ would be getting a little crazy about now if he was here. She looked down to see what had hurt her.

Between her feet the paint had started to come loose and bubble as the summer air turned humid and damp seeped in. The paint was not old but it was damaged. Someone had scratched characters into it. Chihiro turned her head so she could see the scrawl.

"Chihiro Ogino's home is here," the sill declared proudly to the world. Chihiro gasped. Her hand fluttered to her mouth and her bottom lip trembled. She remembered writing those words, carving the characters into the wood with her now lost hair sticks, trying to leave part of herself behind in case she was not bonded to the spirit world.

That evening she had become the first human bonded to this world in centuries. That and a white dragon announced to the spirit world that he loved her. For her own obtuse reasons and because she had a romantic streak, the goddess of the spirit world had bent ancient laws and bonded her. The memories flooded her and for a moment Chihiro thought she would drown in them. With the memories came emotions; hope, fear, need, want, lust and above all love; love that had pulled together a human and a dragon and bound them so tightly they could not live properly without each other. Without Haku Chihiro would exist, but not live; life would lack colour and depth. Tears pricked Chihiro's eyes and she hiccupped forlornly.

Haku was far from the only thing she loved in this world; there were her sisters, her Granny, her friends and she loved the life she lived here. She loved the spirit world with all its cruelties and prejudices; it was not that different from the human world, it just had that extra layer of mystique that had drawn her to it.

"Chihiro Ogino's home is here," she whispered and she started to weep, grizzly heart-sore weeping.

"I want him back," she sobbed. "I want him here right now!" Chihiro had thought she had known everything it meant to be in love with someone. She did not know this love, this howling, hungry emptiness that demanded something from her but she was unsure what. Her soul felt like it was being shredded but somehow she was enduring it, somehow she was still breathing when she felt like she should be dead.

Something clattered, making her jump and she looked in the direction the sound came from. Haku's sword had fallen from the bed. Chihiro wiped at her eyes and frowned. She had put it in the middle of her bed; odd that it should have fallen to the floor. The black ball in the hilt of the sword glinted at her as if taunting her; Chihiro's frown deepened to a scowl. She got down off the windowsill and bent to pick it up. The sword jerked and slid across the floor away from her. Chihiro gasped and jumped back.

The sword lay still. Chihiro knew that the vile weapon was so packed full of her mate's magic that it was almost sentient. The first time she had touched it she could have sworn she felt its glee as it slowed and then stopped her heart. When she had used it to defend herself she almost thought she could feel the blade sing for joy be handled by someone it recognised, she definitely remembered the sensation darkening as it bit into the flesh of the shadow spirit. She eyed the beautiful weapon suspiciously.

"_I must be insane_," she thought. _"I am about to talk to an inanimate object." _

"I know you don't like me," she said, her voice still rasping from crying. "I am hardly fond of you either, but you are his sword and he made you so I suppose I respect that… And you saved my life; for what it is worth, I'm grateful." She approached the weapon and bent to pick it up.

"I can't leave you on the floor, you will get damaged," she murmured in a way she hoped might placate the bit of metal. She grasped it by the scabbard and lifted it up. The thing seemed heavier than ever and she had to use both hands to lift it. The blade vibrated in the scabbard and Chihiro clutched it to her, frightened she would drop it.

"_Want… him… back,"_ a low whispered voice echoed through her mind. Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut and did her best not to listen.

"_Mate of my creator… avenge him,"_ the insidious voice hissed.

"I can't," Chihiro whispered, tears beginning to leak from her eyes again. "I don't know where he is, or even who has him and I…"

"_TOO WEAK!"_ the sword spat, interrupting her.

"Yes," Chihiro admitted.

"_You will avenge him,"_ the sword repeated.

"I told you I don't know how, I…" White hot pain suddenly shot up Chihiro's arms. She squealed and tried to drop the sword but it seemed fused to her fingers.

"_You will avenge him!"_ the sword sang in her mind. _"I will drink the blood of your enemies and we shall take back what is ours." _

Chihiro screamed and finally dropped the weapon. She fell backwards and hugged her arms to herself. Her forearms burned as if scalded. Lip trembling, she sat up and looked at her right arm; running up her arm from wrist to elbow was what looked like a tattoo. It was a dark blue zigzag line that was indelibly etched into her flesh. The pattern was repeated on her other arm.

"They look like bolts of lightning," she whispered with confused wonder.

Just then the door that had kept the world at bay for so long shattered into a million splinters. A worried looking Linca hastened over the remains of the door and stepped into the room.

"I know you want to be alone but I heard you scream and…" She trailed off. Chihiro saw her take in the dropped sword and herself huddled in the corner, hugging her arms. She could see Linca put two and two together and arrive at nine point four. Linca's white eyes widened and she stormed across the room and grabbed Chihiro by the front of her shirt and dragged her to her feet.

Chihiro choked back her explanation in surprise as she watched Linca raise her delicate blue hand, cut and blistered from repair work, and deliver a stinging blow across Chihiro's left cheek.

"How dare you!" Linca hissed in a disgusted tone. "This was the answer you came up with after three days to think about it?" The spirit's body shook with rage; she closed her eyes and her hands clenched into fists. Suddenly she gave up trying to control her temper. Her eyes snapped open and they were completely black. All the pent up worry and struggle of the last few days was now released onto her sister.

"For all that is Holy!" she roared "I never met such an appallingly dense race of humans in my entire life as the one you come from! There is no such thing as an honourable death Chihiro and don't you forget it!"

"Wha-!" Chihiro squeaked.

"Of all the unfeeling and ungrateful things to do! Did you consider anyone else at all? Rin and I have been worried sick about you but you…" Linca's tirade was interrupted by a low throaty chuckle from her sister.

"I'm sorry, but I fail to see what you find so amusing about this, human!" the spirit ranted.

"I'm sorry, Linca…" said Chihiro still laughing. "I did not intend to kill myself."

"Then what were you doing?" snapped the sprite. Chihiro stopped laughing and simply looked at her sister. In that look Linca could see all Chihiro had been through in her solitude but most of all she saw her sadness; deep penetrating sadness.

"Chi," she breathed. Chihiro shook her head, not wanting to be consoled. She held out her arms to show Linca the marks. The spirit frowned at them, puzzled, but from the doorway there was a gasp of recognition.

"Da' tant." Rin whispered. The spirit woman's dark eyes were round and frightened.

"Huh?" said Chihiro and Linca together. Rin stepped gingerly into the room and with a trembling hand touched the marks on her sister's arms.

"Rin," Chihiro asked softly, "do you know what this is?"

"It…it's…" stammered Rin. Then she sighed and pulled at her rough work tunic. Chihiro and Linca glanced at each other, nonplussed, as Rin lifted her tunic to reveal a similar mark running up her taught stomach. The lighting bolt was interrupted by a flattish depression which Chihiro assumed was the non-bonded spirit's equivalent of a belly button.

"I have had this mark for as long as I can remember," said the spirit. "It is the mark of Da'tant."

"But what is it?" whispered Linca, touching Rin's mark.

"It is a warning to others, a warning that you are on a holy mission and that you will let nothing get in your way."

"What mission?" asked Chihiro.

"Normally the mark is bestowed on one seeking justice or more often, righteous revenge."

"Revenge?" echoed Chihiro weakly. Rin nodded and her hand fell to her stomach.

"I can't remember my mission, but I'm fairly sure it was something to do with why I came here. I will never seek my justice or get my revenge because I can't remember the crime against me. You, however, have two marks, meaning your mission is two fold."

"I have no idea what I am supposed to do," the human whispered. She held up one arm. "One of these is something to do with Haku and the sword is in a rage and ordering me to get him back." She held up the other arm. "But what is this for?" Rin shook her head.

"Maybe you have to kill the one responsible for all this," muttered Linca darkly.

"You are not helping," snapped Rin. Linca bristled at her tone.

"The universe is a cold, unfeeling place. How do you know that her vengeance does not involve murder?" Linca snorted.

"I'm not going to kill anyone," said Chihiro firmly. "But how on earth am I even going to attempt to get him back? I don't know where he is or how far away, or who has him. I'm only human; how can I be expected to do this without help?"

"Only human?" said Zeniba's voice from the doorway. "Now that is an oxymoron if I ever heard one." The old witch looked tired and there was a half healed cut across her forehead. Her blue frumpy dress had tears in it but it was clean and washed. She probably hand not had time to repair it. Zeniba smiled as Chihiro stared at her.

"No power to spare on making myself presentable I'm afraid," she chuckled. She shuffled into the room and Chihiro saw Zeniba was carrying the bag she had brought from the human world. The witch dropped the bag at the human's feet and it rattled with broken glass.

"It's not all shattered," said the witch happily. "And who says you will not have help to do this?" The witch took Chihiro's face in her papery hands and took a deep breath.

"Let's get a better look at you now those pesky hair sticks are gone. They really were troublesome my dear." Chihiro felt magic start to build in the room and tensed up.

"Don't fret," said the witch calmly. "I just want to see things more clearly. Just relax; I won't be more than a moment." Chihiro's tac'tal grew hot and the old purple band on her wrist glowed.

Suddenly what Chihiro had always assumed to be a large wart on the witch's face, low down on the centre of her forehead, snapped open to reveal a large violet eye behind it. Chihiro shuddered and her sisters gasped. Zeniba's wicked nails dug into Chihiro's skin a little.

"Be still," she hissed. "And let me look."

Chihiro could not help staring at that eye and soon she was aware of very little else; the eye looked through her and beyond, seeing what she never could; past, present and future all merged together in a great loop and her tiny place in it. The eye snapped shut and Zeniba let her go.

"It seems that the prophecy that I was witness to has at last come into play. As I suspected, your bonding here has set in motion things that were foreseen millennia ago," sighed the witch. "Your path is still uncertain, Chihiro, it is up to you how you proceed but you will come up against a number of obstacles that only you can surmount. Getting the dragon back is only half the challenge and to be honest the lesser part. Fulfilling the prophecy is your true goal."

"How can I fulfil a prophecy I know next to nothing about!" Chihiro cried. Zeniba shrugged.

"I wish I could tell you but I swore an oath of secrecy, one that I fear that my sister may have broken."

Chihiro had not felt so lost since learning of Haku's kidnap. She could almost feel fate starting to press down on her. The petty matter of a lost love was nothing in the great scheme of things. But if she was lucky she might be able to placate fate and gain her mate back, thus her arms bore two marks.

"Well!" said Linca brightly immediately lessening the tension in the room. "This is far too much to think about sober." She had been rummaging around Chihiro's bag and found an intact bottle of vodka. "I say we all have a drink and something to eat then think about the heavy stuff."

Chihiro smiled. Linca took a long pull from the bottle, gulping the liquid as if it was water. She handed the bottle Chihiro and Chihiro sighed gratefully; a drink was just what she needed to steady her nerves. She tipped the bottle to her lips but before she could drink Zeniba snatched it off her.

"Just tea for you I think, Chihiro." The look Chihiro gave the witch could have shattered stone.

"Why?" growled the human.

"Because you've starved yourself for three days; drinking on an empty stomach is never good for you, and also it might hurt the baby," came the kindly reply. It took Chihiro almost a full minute to grasp what Zeniba meant. Linca's mouth was hanging open and Rin had tears in her eyes but Chihiro failed to understand why until the word she needed floated to the surface of her mind.

"Pregnant?"

"You are only about a month gone," said Zeniba gently. "And it will be about five months until you feel anything. I can only guess at the gestation period, but I think it will be about fourteen months." Chihiro was not listening.

"I can't be pregnant I have an infertility spell on me!"

Zeniba smiled at her sadly. "Sometimes life finds a way around such measures; it's rare but it happens."

"Well, you could have warned me," muttered Chihiro, her mind still playing catch up.

"Is this stupid fate of mine part of this too?" Zeniba nodded.

Rage filled the human; she had been manipulated at every turn, but had no idea who was pulling the strings.

"So basically I'm knocked up, mate-less and have a prophecy to fulfil?" No one answered her.

Chihiro started to laugh, and found she could not stop. It was a bitter and twisted laugh of despair.

"Well, at least my critics can not say they told me so!" On a whim Chihiro lifted her bag up and tossed it out of the window.

"The Vodka!" cried Linca.

"The Chocolate!" cried Rin.

Chihiro picked up Haku's sword and felt almost immediately better to feel its weight in her hand. The human grinned to herself maliciously and swung the sheathed sword experimentally, then she tipped the sword up and pointed it at the ceiling.

"If you don't show yourself in ten minutes I'm burning this hovel to the ground then me and this sword are going to dish out some "righteous vengeance" without guidance!" Chihiro shouted at the ceiling. "Do you hear me?" she screamed. "You owe me for helping you bring your whelp into the world!"

No one thought to correct Chihiro for her blatant blasphemy, after all, she was holding a very powerful sword and was in an evil mood, and none of the spirits could blame her; they could only guess at how she must be feeling. Zeniba wanted to hug the child and let her cry but it seemed Chihiro was done with tears. The marks on her arms and the trauma of having her mate ripped from her were fanning the flames of her anger. Zeniba guessed it would be a while before she even accepted she was pregnant. Zeniba held out her hand and called Chihiro's name softly, but before she could get near the human, the sword swung round to point at the witch.

"Don't touch me," Chihiro hissed.

"Chihiro, please," said Zeniba carefully. "I know you are hurting, but insulting a goddess is not the way to…"

"I don't need your sympathy," Chihiro snarled. "What business is this of yours anyway? Why do you constantly feel the need to take an interest in my fate?"

"I'll admit that I have meddled where perhaps I should not have," sighed Zeniba. "However, I know that if I did not help guide you in the right direction, the prophecy could have fallen upon you before you had allies or an awareness of your future. The tools the gods choose tend to be used harshly or even broken. I did not want to see that happen to you."

"Why?" Chihiro snapped. "Why should you care as long as I do what I am supposed to?"

"You're my granddaughter," said Zeniba, holding her hands out, palms up.

"No, I'm not," Chihiro growled. "I have no grandmother; my father's mother died before I was born and my mother's mother died before she was even married." The tip of the sword wavered a little. "That makes you just a lonely old woman who meddles, doesn't it?"

The witch's eyes flashed with annoyance but she reigned in her temper. The girl was half mad with hunger and shock and the sword she was holding was designed for a dragon to master, not a human. Zeniba could sense that it was just itching for an excuse to shed blood and Chihiro was in no frame of mind to resist it. Zeniba smiled fondly at her; she was doing well considering.

"You are overtired and have not eaten or you would never say such things to me."

"You think so?" Chihiro scoffed. "Maybe I have wanted to say these things for a while."

"Perhaps," said the witch with a smile. "If that is the case then perhaps I'll tell you what you want to know but first let me ask you a question. Have you ever wondered why I helped you as a child?" The sword tip dipped a little.

"I don't know," said Chihiro at last. "But you nearly killed Haku." The sword tip inched up again.

"And I could have, if I wished," said Zeniba. "But when you broke the spell I decided to forgive him; but only because you asked me to. The golden seal could have ended you both back then, why would I be so merciful towards you?"

"I don't know," said Chihiro and the sword lowered slightly. "I never really thought about it." The sword's voice in her head rasped on about the witch manipulating her but Chihiro managed to ignore it.

"Well," Zeniba sighed. "That is very unusual, you normally question such things. But I believe I may have an explanation."

"Oh really?" drawled Chihiro in a very Haku-like way. "Then by all means, enlighten me."

"The reason is that family help each other and family members expect help from each other."

Chihiro was confused; the sword lowered a little more.

"I don't understand."

The witch's large mouth broke into a genuine smile. "When the water horse that insists on hanging around Haku's home told you that you had spirit blood in you, did it never occur to you that you might be related to someone you knew?"

"What are you saying?" breathed Chihiro, then her temper flared again. "For once just tell me straight and don't wrap it up in riddles!"

"I am saying that there is a reason this world appeals to you so much, that there is a reason I helped you that day when you came begging for Haku's life in my kitchen. There is a reason that you fell for a dragon and a reason that you now carry his child, despite precautions," said Zeniba calmly.

"Well what?" Chihiro snapped.

"You really are my granddaughter, Chihiro," Zeniba sighed. "We are blood relations."

"That's not possible." Chihiro breathed.

"It is," said the witch firmly. "And I will tell you how if you put down that sword." The sword clattered to the floor, falling from Chihiro's numb fingers.

"Yes, tell us all, if you would," said the Lady's voice from the window. They all turned to look at the goddess who was showing off her new slim figure in an impossibly tight black velvet dress.

"You have kept your secrets for a long time, witch. Tell the poor girl before she falls over, she looks awful." The Goddess turned her violet gaze on Linca. "You there, get us some food then we can all have a nice chat." Linca scuttled off as if burnt, closely followed by Rin. The Goddess turned to Chihiro, clearly displeased.

"You could have been a little more reserved in your address, even if you were angry at me."

Chihiro had no fight left in her. She sank to the ground and arranged her legs so she could sit.

"Just tell me what I need to know so I can decide what to do," she whispered. The Goddess smiled warmly.

"Food and a bath first; you look and smell dreadful."


	15. Inspiration

**Ok, I am completely unrepentant towards my beta. She did not like my first choice of last name. She will know what I mean. **

**Also I put some Haku in this just to show the cynics amongst you that I have not killed him off. ;-) Enjoy. **

**_Inspiration. _**

Haku woke with a start. He blinked in the gloom and allowed his eyes to adjust. He ached all over and having his hands pinned to the wall above his head was less than comfortable. At least he could sit down, but he could not stand. He had been in this position for over four days; it hurt but it was bearable.

He had already counted the black stone blocks the walls were made up of six times; he had counted as high he could before he lost concentration or indeed consciousness. If he could remember what he got up to he would try to beak his record, if not he would start again anyway. He was incredibly bored. He usually had so much going on the back of his mind through his connection with his river but now he was cut off from it he was at the ultimate loose end.

He looked around his cell again; four black stone walls and a sand floor. The chains around his wrists were inlaid with obsidian of the highest quality. The spells on it had been cast by a master and prevented him from using any of his power. But being cut off from his river and his mate hurt even more than the cramp in his arms and the gaping wounds on his head and in his abdomen.

He growled to himself as he remembered the iso flax net that that one of the mercenaries had thrown over him, immediately weakening him. If he had been in top condition he could have shaken off the artefact easily. The insidious plant the net was made from could be as powerful as chloroform was to a human when it touched a dragon's scales. Thus dragon kind destroyed the plant whenever they found it. He had thought it extinct; someone must have had that net hidden away for the best part of a thousand years.

In the state he had been, the net had slowed him down long enough for an air spirit to find an opening and tear at his underbelly with its claws. While he ripped the spirit's throat out, another spirit hit him on the crown of his head with a war hammer. He knew he was too weak to fight on and win, so before the spirit hit him again he released the last of his power, just enough to protect his mate and maintain the opening to the spirit world he had created for her. After that he had passed out.

When he had woken, very surprised that he was still alive, he was still bleeding and he had reverted to his human form. He did not remember much except he was in this cell, tied up and Yubaba had been there gloating. He had been too light-headed and in too much pain to pay much attention to her, but he had nearly taken her hand off when she got too close. He was kind of glad he had not; he did not really want to know what the hag tasted like.

She had said something like he was going to be kept there until the separation from his river and mate drove him mad and killed him. Haku may have felt little better than pond scum at that moment but he was not about to roll over and die just yet. It would have been too much of an effort for him at that moment anyway. The gash in his stomach was slowly healing but the wound on his head was more serious. Dried blood still crusted on his face and it still bled occasionally. He was sure it was responsible for his occasional black outs and nausea. Not that they were feeding him anyway, but his stomach seemed to have missed that detail when it made him retch for the fifth time that day. He thought he might have a skull fracture.

If he could have used his power he would have healed himself in days. But he had to rely on his body to sort itself out; it was a good strong body, he had constructed it well and it would eventually heal. He had been in a blood hazed rage when he first came back to himself fully two days previously, but it was too much effort to keep up. Now he just sat quietly and counted stones and numbers in his head, he had considered counting grains of sand but the tended to shift in the breeze from the tiny window above him. The dry air and sand only made him more uncomfortable; he was a water spirit and this was like a personal hell for him.

His heart ached constantly with worry for his mate. She would be back by now. How would she react when she realised he had been captured? If she had any sense she would run the bathhouse for him and wait for him to escape. Knowing his mate as he did, however, he knew she would probably take a few days to get over the trauma and then cook up some scheme with her accursed sisters and try to rescue him. He wanted to tell her to stay where she was, that he loved her and that he would find a way out. But he could not; the connection between them had almost been severed the moment the chains were put on him. Almost; he was still vaguely aware of her; she was far away and that was all he could tell, but if the connection was still there that meant the barrier spell in the chains had a weakness.

Haku kept trying to break the spells but they were like the iso flax net; they sapped his strength every time he tried it. They were strong and almost imposable to break. The spell literally wove an impenetrable barrier around his power, but it was not perfect.

As with anything woven, there were weaker areas. Haku thought that if he picked at the edges enough he may be able to unpick the weave enough to get some of his power through. So apart from counting, that was how he occupied himself; he weakly tugged at the fabric of the spells that held him. Every day he got a tiny bit stronger and every day his work on the spells seemed to progress a little bit further.

* * *

"It happened just before the bathhouse was built," said Zeniba into her cup. "Humans have always wondered into this world on occasion but I did not expect to encounter one myself. I was walking in the woods near the border when I saw him…" She sighed and put her cup down. "I knew he was human immediately, but despite the smell I thought he was the most beautiful creature I had ever beheld. I was young looking back then too; long blond hair and a tiny waist." She cackled to herself. "He did not stand a chance, really."

"You mated with a human?" said Linca in awe. "I mean if you were a spirit that traditionally associated with them or had some connection to their world…" she trailed off. "Not that I can't understand the attraction, I've had at least twenty of them! Picking up a wonderer and seducing him is classy."

Rin rolled her eyes. "I could never allow myself to fall for a creature with such a brief existence," she murmured and then blushed. "No offence, Chihiro."

"None taken," whispered the human. Zeniba had given her the lock of hair that Haku had cut from his head before the battle. She held it in her hand stroking it inside her pocket.

"_So soft,"_ she thought absently, then brought her attention back to the witch.

"My lover did not want to be bonded to this world; he was an eldest son and had a family to care for in the other world. So we conducted our affair when the border was open. After the spring equinox I discovered I was pregnant. I told him at the summer solstice and we both cried tears of joy. Again I asked him to bond to this world and perhaps, in time become my life mate. He refused." She sighed. "I was a little heart broken but understood his loyalty to his family; he was head of the household; they would be destitute without him as there were no other male heirs. 10 months later I gave birth alone to a baby girl. She was my pride and joy, I could not wait to show her to her father; even my sister was enchanted with her and took her role as aunt very seriously." Zeniba smiled wistfully. "At the equinox he came and saw her. We lived together for two weeks in family bliss, then the day came he was due to return. I awoke to find both him and my daughter gone."

"What!" squeaked Linca.

"Oh, he left me a note," said Zeniba sarcastically. "He said that he thought his daughter would be better off with him and he was going to raise her in the human world."

"Was that all?" whispered Rin.

"Goodbye, wish things could have been different," said the witch. "I was grief stricken, then my sister, who was really no less affected, talked me into stealing her back. With our combined power I travelled to the human world. It took me two years to track him down. He and his family had fled to Hokkaido with her and he had married and had other children. I planned to take her but in the end I could not, she had a woman she called 'mother' and a father she did not remember me. She was aging quite quickly; she looked around five years old already; but I knew this would slow down when she matured, she was beautiful. I knew she would outlive all her younger siblings as any half spirit would. It was going to be a very hard road for her growing up among people who did not know her true nature. She would have no understanding of her mixed blood and how it would mark her as different from other humans. I decided to keep an eye on her. So four times a year I travelled to the human world to check on her. She grew to be a beautiful but troubled young woman; her family saw her marry well into a landed family thus elevating her station. She had six children, three of which died before they were five years old. Her remaining children grew up and her family started to die around her. When her own children started to die of old age I saw her distress; she looked around fifty though she was in her eighties. I thought it too late to intervene, to tell her what she was and that this was normal.

"By this time the bathhouse was built and the witch sisters had been punished for their arrogance before the gods." The Goddess rolled her violet eyes but said nothing. "I was ashamed of what I had become and for not protecting my daughter in the first place. I watched her suffer. As her great great grandchildren started to mature she had had enough. Convinced she was cursed, she committed suicide around the time of the Meiji revolution."

The silence in the room was absolute.

"I grieved for her, but I knew she had many grandchildren who would also have problems being part spirit. I watched and subtly guided her brood. Some even managed to stumble into the spirit world. Your grandmother included, Chihiro. I helped her get home despite wishing I could keep her with me; she looked so much like my daughter it nearly broke my heart. I could hardly believe it when your family stumbled into this world Chihiro. At first I did not want to be involved; you had infringed spirit world law and I could not overturn that. Besides I had a dragon to gut for theft.

"But you shook me from my self imposed confinement and made me become involved. You look like my daughter; I could not help but love you when you came begging me on Haku's behalf. I also saw how things were with you and the dragon and alarm bells started to ring. The prophecy is very ancient but it is very specific about a human/dragon relationship. I decided that if such a thing came to pass I would do all in my power to help you. Maybe that way I could atone for abandoning my daughter."

Chihiro could hardly speak. The witch had been through so much. She marched around the table to the witch. She stood before the crone, arms folded.

"I would have told you but there never seemed to be a right moment and you seemed so happy I did not want to burden you with my past," whispered Zeniba.

Chihiro slipped her arms around the witch and hugged her tightly.

"I love you, granny," she whispered. Zeniba wept at her words.

The goddess cleared her throat impatiently. "As much as I hate to break up this touching reunion between Grandmother and twelve times removed Granddaughter…" Chihiro looked up at the slightly peeved deity. "My time is limited; I have a "brat" now, remember!" Chihiro smiled, she could not help it.

"How is he?"

"Growing and eating solids already. He is speaking too. It seems his father has been broadening his vocabulary when I am not around; some of the things he says are quite shocking." The Goddess laced her fingers together before her and was suddenly all business.

"Which leads me to why I am here. I want my son to have the opportunity to grow up in a world that is not in turmoil. So I am going to help you instead of smiting you for your insolence like I should." Chihiro sat back down.

"Tell me this prophecy and I can get an idea about what I have to do," said Chihiro with a sigh.

"It's not that simple," said the Goddess. "There are rules. I cannot just tell you the prophecy; what good would that do? No, you must discover it for yourself; the journey is as important as the destination," said the Goddess cryptically. Chihiro's face fell.

"I can give you a hint," said the Goddess more brightly. "The one who foretold your destiny still lives and only he can help you."

"And who might that be?" asked the human tiredly. She got the feeling she was going to have to start writing everything down; things were getting more complex by the second.

The goddess threw her head back and sang in a sweet if slightly shaky voice.

"By a tree, near a river is a hole in the ground,

Where an old man of Arron walks around and around.

In his mind he is everywhere with no time or no night,

He cannot tell the difference twixt the wrong and the right."

"Huh?" said Linca.

"The old man of Arron prophesied Chihiro's fate. Find him and he will tell you what he saw for her."

"That's not fair!" protested the sprite. "Yubaba has probably blabbed what she knows to her allies by now, but we have to go and find some bonkers old spirit who walks in circles for a living and sees the future but does not know it?"

"Life is unfair," countered the Goddess. "As a displaced land spirit I would have thought you would be aware of this. If Yubaba has enlightened someone about the prophecy she has done so under strong magic. A vow of secrecy is not an easy thing to break, especially when it was to me the witch sisters swore."

"Fine," said Linca. "So to even be on a level footing with the bastards that attacked this place Chihiro has to discover the prophecy and then fulfil it?" The spirit sounded incensed.

"She will not have to do it alone, and the old man of Arron is not hard to find. The hole he wonders around in the song happens to be the biggest chasm in the spirit world."

"Yumulk gap," said Linca incredulously. "It will take three weeks to get their on foot! Humans can't fly!" The Lady held up her hand and Linca fell silent realising she had been speaking very freely before the deity.

"Finding the old man is neither here nor there at the moment. Chihiro is already marked that she is on a holy quest. Now she must choose three other people to inspire it."

"What?" Said Chihiro a bit baffled.

"Pick who you wish to go with you," said the goddess. "Three companions for you are traditional. You can gather others to you as you travel." The goddess sat forward. "Choose wisely."

"This could take some time," Chihiro murmured. She was about to start calculating the merits of her acquaintances when her ears were assaulted in stereo by her sisters shouting.

"I'M GOING!"

Chihiro smiled. "Don't I have a say in this?"

"NO," came the reply. Her sisters stared at her with such determination that Chihiro dare not refuse them.

"Who will look after the bathhouse?" she murmured.

"I will," said Zeniba. "So you have nothing to worry about."

"You need one more," said the goddess quietly. Chihiro bit her lip.

"_Who else?"_ she wondered_. "Kamaji? No, he'd never want to go. Bee-la? No, he is needed here."_ She was mulling it over when a paw fell on her shoulder.

"Mistress?"

"What is it, Meeka?" asked Chihiro. The spirit stood before her, then fell to her knees, hands clasped before her.

"Pick me, mistress. I beg you! I may be a low spirit and I may have little aptitude for fighting but who will tend to your needs when you travel if not me? There is master Haku's child to think about also; I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you, mistress." The yellow feline eyes looked at the floor and the ginger ears flattened themselves against the spirit's head.

Chihiro swallowed the lump in her throat and almost said yes, but she knew in her heart she could not. She stood and rested her hand on the cat spirit's head, just as Haku had done when he made the spirit Chihiro's servant. The ginger fur was soft and warm, just like a cat's. Chihiro resisted the urge to pet her knowing it would be taken as in insult by the proud little spirit.

"Meeka of the Izu Forest. You have served both myself and my mate well. I have been more than recompensed for your transgression against me. Now in my mate's name I release you from my service before the allotted term of a year and a day."

Chihiro had no idea if she had said the right thing but she put as much of her will behind the words as she could. She was Haku's mate and whatever he bound she had the right to break. There was a flash of white light and then Meeka was knelt before her wearing a serviceable green kimono she had worn before she was made Chihiro's bond servant.

"Mistress!" Meeka breathed, her yellow eyes round with wonder.

"Not any more," Chihiro smiled at her. "To you now I'm just 'Chihiro', but as your friend I wish to ask you a favour."

"Anything!" the wood spirit breathed.

"Take Rin's place as head of the domestic staff while she is gone." Meeka bowed so her forehead touched the floor.

"It would be an honour, mistress."

"Chihiro," corrected Chihiro. "Zeniba will need all the help she can get to repair the bathhouse and make it fit for business again. It has a vital role it will need to reopen soon or spirits will have to travel hundreds of miles to find a place to replenish themselves. I leave Zeniba in your care." The wood spirit bowed again.

"Well, come on!" complained Linca. "Put us out of our misery! Who will be number three?"

Chihiro turned to the Goddess.

"Does it have to be someone in the bathhouse?" she asked.

"No," replied the deity.

Chihiro pursed her lips and then asked.

"Do they have to be in the spirit world?" The Goddess frowned.

"It's a little irregular but as you are human I think it would be allowed. The law does not say it cannot be a human. I can bond them temporally under such circumstances. However, if you are thinking of picking one of your parents I would advise you against it, you need people with skills."

Chihiro considered at the goddess's words but her parents had never really entered her thoughts about the quest. Her mind was already made up.

"Don't even think about it, Chihiro!" said Linca. "I know he was in the army for a time but he really would not…"

"He'll be fine," snapped Chihiro, and looked levelly at the goddess's her brown eyes, hard and determined.

"I choose Scott," she announced. "I hope he forgives me for dragging him into all this but I need him."

"Well," said Linca with a small frown. "This will make things interesting. The poor boy lusted after you for weeks only to get knocked back. Now you're going to drag him into a world he knows nothing about to start on a quest to save said world and your mate."

"Yes," sighed Chihiro.

"That's just cruel," said Linca, her smile fading and she folded her arms. "Why not just give the boy a paper cut and rub salt in it! It would have the same affect! He has his pride you know!"

Chihiro put her hands on her hips and felt the marks on her arms throb. This was the right person to chose, some deep instinct told her that it was. She could not afford to take into account male pride and fair play. This was more important. She eyed the blue skinned spirit and glared at her angry white eyes and firm set mouth.

"If you want to come, Linca, you are going to have to do things my way, sister. I don't have to justify my decision to you but as Scott was a good friend of yours I will do so."

Linca's eyes widened at Chihiro's tone but she said nothing.

"Do you know how to find food in the wilderness? Do you know how to build shelter so you stay warm and dry at night? Do you know how to purify water?" Do you know how to navigate without a map?"

"This is the spirit world, Chihiro, not the human world! This world is not the same and things such as clean water do not concern me…"

"They concern me!" snapped Chihiro. "I am human and can easily die from impure water. This world is not so different from the human world. There are woods, hills, forest, mountains and deserts. I need to know how to survive, who knows where these will take me." She indicated to the marks on her arms. "What's more I'm pregnant, which means the clock is ticking before I'm too fat to be of any use. We both know that Scott has had survival training, he told us himself. He went climbing mountains in his spare time and spent two years in the infantry and was going to become an officer."

"Yes and he left because he broke both his legs out on exercise, he may not even be fit enough for all this!" yelled Linca

"He can help us," Said Chihiro stubbornly. "We have to do this as quickly as we can, we need him. Even if he does not know this world he will adjust I'm sure. He was the only human who ever believed that I had been to the spirit world. Rin, you and I can help him adapt after he is bonded."

Linca sighed, defeated.

"Well when you put it that way, I guess you are right. I don't know how to keep a human alive on a long arduous journey. Rin and I can go for weeks without food if we have to and if we are travelling fast that means travailing light and limited food rations for us. I did not think things through and as you pointed out, you'll be eating for two. I'm sorry I accused you of choosing him frivolously." Chihiro nodded to her penitent sister.

"You were only defending your friend; I won't get angry at you for doing that," she mumbled and turned to the lady.

"I choose Scott Mulvey."

The Goddess smiled.

"I've already sent someone to get him."


	16. Sir Doormat

**Many thanks to my beta for all her help with this chap, but I'm still not changing it the name ;-p Oh, and to Daishar for coming up with the title.**

**_Sir Doormat._**

Scott sighed and switched off the television. It was raining outside again so going out with the dogs right now was not appealing to him. He had been living at home now for over a year, ever since he left Japan. Or rather, since he was implicated in aiding a criminal and asked to leave the country. He had been glad to come back to his family but he had never bothered returning to university in St Andrews to finish his languages course. He had no interest in study anymore. The castle had not changed at all in his absence. Linca had often teased him about the fact that his family were landed gentry and he was the son of Laird Mulvey. His father never used the title and Scott was his third son and would inherit nothing. It was not as if the family were rich anyway. The castle had two turrets but was more an ornate manor farm house. Some mad ancestor of his had built the place in 1620. The estate that surrounded the monstrosity was very small and all the tied property had been sold off before the Second World War.

That had not mattered to Linca who had constantly introduced him around as "Sir Scott," apart from when she introduced him to Chihiro.

"_Chihiro, this is Scott, a very good friend of mine…"_ Scott had suspected the little Russian rascal was acting as match maker again. He had not minded in reality, Chihiro was adorable; shame she had never liked him the way he had her. The image of her lovely face disappearing down a dark hole and the sound of her body hitting the water had haunted his dreams. He must have been insane to let her go but the emerald the he had found in his hand still sat by his bed. It reminded him that he had touched something that was not of his world and had given up something precious to it. On his return, Scott had worked in Glasgow for a while in the tax office. He had had a nice little rebound relationship with a fiery young woman with black hair who left nail marks on his back every night. It had not lasted long, but it had done much to get Chihiro Ogino out of his system. He had returned to the Highlands a few months later and had not left home since.

He sighed and stood up and tossed the remote onto the sofa. It would no doubt disappear down the back of the cushions and his oldest brother Cameron would blame his baby sister Elspeth and Elspeth would storm from the house and go to see her boyfriend in the village which meant Scott could watch whatever he liked on the TV later. Scott grinned at the prospect and shoved the remote down the back of the sofa just to make sure. He was so bored. Since his return he had not been able to concentrate on anything; his thoughts wondered and a gloomy apathy had settled on him. He had been helping his father and brothers around the estate to pay his way but felt no ambition to try and do something more with is life. Not like he once had.

He walked to the main hallway, the only really formal part of the house, careful to bend his head as he passed through the low doorways. Pictures of his ancestors graced the walls, changing from cracked oils to water colours to photographs the further he walked up the hallway. At the end of the hall he turned right to a tight stone spiral staircase that was so steep and the steps so worn, that Scott was obliged to use his hands as well as his feet to climb them, a bit like a stone ladder. This was his favourite part of the castle Mulvey. He had played here as a child and when he was a teenager he had spent hours at the top of this turret just watching the world go by or "brooding" as his father had called it.

At the top of the stairs was a flat surface of worn cobbles surrounded by battlements that were too small and thin to be anything more than decoration. Another unhinged ancestor had added pillars of carved granite and a slate roof overhead. The rococo clashed hideously with the utilitarian harshness of the castle's original architecture but Scott liked it. The roof sheltered him from the biting Scottish wind and cut out all but the most persistent horizontal rain. He looked out over the grey green moorland and sighed. He loved his home but the late spring weather was depressing. The moor was a riot of wild flowers in early summer and a lush verdant green thereafter until winter. Right now the moor was just a boggy mire that you could sink up to the knees in at certain points. The rain heavy clouds scudded across the rounded mountain tops that surrounded the glen, dropping their burden of water as they passed by. Scott sat with his back against the battlements and pulled his knees up to his chin. He shivered but the fresh air had lightened his mood.

"Why could I have not come from a family that owned part of southern Spain?" he complained to himself.

"Meow," came the unlooked for reply. Scott looked up to see the family cat, Oscar, sitting at the top of the steps. Scott had found the stocky grey tabby trapped in a coal scuttle when it was a kitten. Scott had not even been able to tell what colour it was until he had given it a bath. The cat had become a permanent fixture of the castle and terrorised the two Irish wolf hounds that belonged to Cameron as well as the local rodent population. Every now and again, something resembling a draught excluder would be left on the castle steps. Elspeth loved the cat dearly and so the rest of the family tolerated its antics.

Scott had never really liked cats but this cat seemed to like him judging by the amount of black and grey hair that was left on his bed.

"Yo, puss," he mumbled. "What are you doing up here?"

"Mow," said Oscar and proceeded to clamber between Scott's knees.

"Oi, careful!" Scott yelped as a paw came very close to doing him some damage; Oscar was not a light cat. Scott put his knees down and the cat settled on his lap and began to purr. Scott looked at the happy animal and grinned.

"I'm definitely coming back as a cat," Scott mumbled. "You have it so easy."

Claws dug into his leg and yellow eyes regarded him coldly.

"Actually old chap it's quite hard being me; your sister takes me to the toilet with her."

Scott wondered how he should react to having the family pet talk to him without even moving its mouth. Strangely he was not that disturbed by it; if water could talk to him why couldn't Oscar? Still he did not have to put up with it. He sighed and lifted the indignant feline off his legs.

"Sod this," he said, standing. "I'm going back to Glasgow; I need no more weirdness in my life." He moved towards the steps.

"Stop right there!" demanded the cat in its ridiculously English accent.

"Why should I?" asked Scott tiredly. "It's taken me months to get Japan out of my head and now things start happening here. I don't think I will stay if it's all the same."

"I have a message for you!" said the cat rubbing round his legs and very nearly getting stood on.

"I don't want to know," muttered Scott but stopped so his large feet did not crush the persistent animal.

"And what are you going to do in the city?" asked the cat. "Get a job and try to forget about the fact that you have no purpose anymore?"

Scott's blue eyes considered the cat. "So you are a psychologist as well as a mangy moggy?"

"I don't have mange!" protested the cat, its ringed tail flicking in annoyance. "I keep my coat in excellent condition, despite the demon Elspeth brushing it the wrong way all the time. Do you know how long I have to lick my coat after she's had had me in her clutches?"

"Sorry you've lost my interest," said Scott and started down the steps.

"Chihiro Ogino needs your help, Son of Mulvey!" howled the cat.

Scott stopped dead in his tracks. His heart sank. Deep down he had known that place was not finished with him yet. Local stories were full of people who had had contact with the other place. To one degree or another they were never the same. Legend said a mortal could pine to death after they had glimpsed the beings that lived for an eternity. It was different if they came to you or let themselves be seen but if you stumbled into their realm, your heart could be stolen. It had happened to Chihiro; Scott knew it had. She had never been happy in the human world, and now it was affecting him; a disease of the soul that caused you to want to be close to the ones that mortals should never get too close to. Whether it happened to everyone Scott did not know, but he knew that it was what ailed him. It had many names; it was called Longhiough locally. The legends said there was no cure; those affected either lived with it or died.

He turned and walked back up the steps.

"What are you?" he asked Oscar who had rolled over and was exposing his belly as if he wanted it tickled.

"Sit down old chap and let me tell you what I know." Scott nodded and sat beside the animal.

"Well, first thing I should say is: I'm not really a cat."

"That I could guess on my own," muttered Scott.

"Yes… well… quite," sniffed the cat. "I am a brownie but running around the house as a hairy little man may raise a few eyebrows."

"I thought brownies did the housework unless you saw them in which case they left?" said Scott sceptically. "This place is never clean. You are either lazy or a liar." The cat actually chuckled. It rolled over so it was sprawled on its side.

"What can I say? I hate housework. I do earn my keep however; you are rat free and the east turret is not subsiding anymore."

"Fine so you are not a useless brownie," muttered Scott.

"As for the seeing me work business, I was never a traditionalist. Personally I would prefer an audience but your father would probably try to shoot me if he saw me in my real form."

Scott agreed with that, his Father could be a little trigger happy. His mother had filled his twelve bore shotgun with sand and salt before she left him.

It had taken Ian Mulvey a week to clean it so it would work again.

"You mentioned a name; I never told anyone about that girl. How do you know that name?"

"Chihiro Ogino is famous throughout the spirit world, my lad," yawned the cat. "The first human in generations to bond with a spirit of power."

"Bond?" Scott knew he was not going to like this.

"She is his mate old boy. Who would have thought it? A mighty dragon taking a mortal for a mate in this day and age? Its implications are far reaching; the human and spirit worlds may not be as far removed from each other as we all thought."

"Mate? You mean she is married?" said Scott quietly.

"Effectively, yes," said the cat with sympathy.

"Oh," said Scott. He was not sure what to feel about that. He was pleased she had found happiness, but in the arms of a dragon? How was that going to work? He was worried and a little put out.

"I did not even get an invite," he grumbled.

"Well you are mortal, my boy, she could not ask one who was not already connected to the spirit world to come. It is dangerous in its own way." Scott gave the cat a flat look.

"Don't placate me; she forgot about me, I understand that much," growled Scott. "And now she is in some sort of trouble and needs pathetic little me to help her out?" Scott was surprised by his own anger; he thought he was over all this.

"She is not so much in trouble… well she is, but…"

The cat tried again. "She needs you to join her quest."

"Quest? What is this the middle ages? Do I look like a knight?" spat Scott. "I rescued her once, what more does she want from me?"

The cat sighed and jumped on the angry young man's lap. It was almost impossible to stay angry when you had a purring lump of cat flesh on your lap, Scott decided, and calmed down. His anger drained away to leave hurt. He had been used and left with nothing but a green rock to show for it.

"You've had to play doormat until now my lad" purred the cat. "But it does not follow that you should have to do so now. You can turn down this quest; no one is forcing you to do it. But remember, you are not happy now; you will be even less happy when you start wondering what would have happened if you had accepted the quest." The cat stood and stretched, kneading Scott's lap.

"I would see it more as a journey of self discovery if I were you. Most young people end up roaming the globe to find themselves. You can go one step further and roam another world. I think it will do you good; it would be better than moping here and getting in your family's way. They love you but the cloud of gloom you are constantly under is driving them crazy. Besides, you have more in that place than just an old flame." Scott glared at the cat as it hopped off his lap. It knew far too much of his connection to Chihiro for his liking.

"You mean Linca?"

The brownie nodded. "She is now the sister to Chihiro along with another spirit of unknown origin called Rin."

Scott had suspected that Linca was not all she seemed when he had seen an owl flying in and out of her bedroom window on a regular basis. Snowy owls were not native to Japan as far as Scott knew. Either J. K Rowling had had inside information for her famous books or Linca was not all she seemed. He kept quiet about it, hoping the girl might share her secret with him one day, then she and Chihiro had vanished. When Chihiro had told him her story at the psychiatric hospital she did not mention Linca by name but Scott guessed that the bubbly blond Russian who had been such a good friend to him was probably not even human. He had missed her.

Thinking a little more with his head than with his heart Scott considered what the cat had said. He really did have nothing better to do at the moment but he was not about to rush into this either.

"What is this quest; why isn't her mate helping her?"

The cat sighed and flicked its tail. "Her mate _is_ the quest, or rather part of it. He was kidnapped and she is now alone."

"So this it all about getting her mate back?" asked Scott incredulously.

"Well, that and saving the world, or some such nonsense," the cat yawned.

"Which world?" asked Scott. "It may sound cold but I really only care about one."

"Such a human attitude," scoffed the cat. "One cannot exist without the other; the spirit world is this world's natural law. Not a single thing would grow on this ball of rock without the power of those who attend to your soil, rivers and weather. If one fails they both do."

Scott chewed over that; he had never thought that the other place ever had a function before, but then again there was not a single thing that existed without fulfilling some role; why should the other place be any different?

"One more thing," said the cat, looking at him intently. "I would be not serving you properly as the castle's domestic spirit if I did not make you aware of all the facts before you make a decision." The cat stood up and arched its back in a lazy stretch.

"She is carrying the dragon's child." It yawned, and sat by his knees, paws tucked daintily beneath it.

"So she is pregnant and alone?" asked Scott quietly.

"Well, she has family to support her but yes, she is alone in this really."

Scott looked out at the grey sky. Even if he had been used and forgotten it did not mean he could abandon Chihiro when she needed him; his conscience would not let him. He really was a doormat.

"What does she need me for?" he asked in a resigned tone.

"She has a long journey; you know how to travel and not starve."

Scott nodded. His days in the army seemed very long ago; he had been barely 18. It had been something he had enjoyed but not something he wanted to make a career out of. Falling off the side of a mountain and breaking both tibia had given him the perfect excuse to leave. But he had learned much, including how to survive in the great outdoors.

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll do it."

"Excellent!" gushed the cat. "I'll take you to the door way right now and… Hey where are you going?" Scott had stood and was heading down the steps.

"I'm not going until I have everything I need and I have said goodbye to my family," he said firmly and continued to descend the worn steps.

"But they are waiting for you!" yowled the brownie.

"And they can wait a bit longer," Scott's voice floated up from the stairwell. "I'm doing this on my own terms."

The cat purred to itself with pride; he might not have been the most active of brownies but he still loved his family. He trotted after the stubborn young man to find him rummaging in his wardrobe and dumping what he needed on the bed. Scott was not a tidy person but he did not take long to locate what he needed. Army greens from a surplus store joined black boots that were in a severe need of a polish, two light weight shirts and half a dozen pairs of socks and underwear were piled on the bed.

"Is that all the clothes you need?" asked the cat, leaping onto the bed.

"I can wash them as I need them," Scott said distractedly. He shoved the clothes into a large hiking rucksack and hit the kitchen next. Enough dried food to keep half an army going was piled on top of his clothes, and a small wood burning camping stove, matches and a set of pots that sat inside each other to save space. In the bathroom he stole soap and various medicines. He was accosted by the middle brother, Liam on the stairs back to his room.

The two were close, Liam being only two years older than Scott. They resembled each other strongly too, sharing the same hair and eyes. They were both tall, though Scott was slightly taller. When questioned, Scott spun a story about getting a call from a friend in Glasgow. He was going on a hiking trip, one of the party had pulled out at the last moment and this friend had offered Scott the place. Scott was a bad liar but if Liam suspected something he did not say so. He patted his brother on the shoulder and grinned.

"Glad to see you doing something again, we were really starting to worry about you."

Scott shrugged. "I've been a pain in the arse but I could not help myself." Liam laughed at this.

"You better get going before Dad gets back, otherwise we will have to do the whole "family night-in thing" and I'm sure we would all wish to avoid that."

Scott nodded and got back to his room and found his old hunting knife.

"You will need more than that," said Oscar, rubbing around his legs.

"I can't believe Liam is just letting me go no questions asked!" exclaimed Scott, almost hurt.

"That was down to me," purred the cat. "I can keep them nice and happy while you are away; they won't question your absence and they will even think you've sent them post cards."

Scott was not sure he liked the brownie manipulating his family so, no matter how benignly.

"You need a better weapon," said the cat. Scott looked at his knife. He had not thought of using the knife as a weapon at all.

"The only gun in the house is my father's," Scott mused.

"Oh please!" sneered the cat, jumping on his bed. "You really think a gun is going to be any use against the creatures of that place? They would probably spit the buckshot back out at you!"

"Then what?" asked Scott irritably.

"Follow me," the cat ordered and leapt gracefully to the ground, trotting out the door. Scott followed the cat to the main hallway. At the far end near the oldest pictures was the family coat of arms; two axes and a harp on a red field. Beneath it, crossed over each other were the Mulvey family's oldest heirlooms; two swords. One was a veteran of the battle of Cullodden, pulled from the clutches of its dead owner by the local friar and returned to the victim's family. Scott had forgotten the name of who owned it. He had always liked the claymore and yearned to play with it as a child. His mother had told him the sword was unlucky and he should never touch it. The other sword crossed over the claymore was even older. The story attached to the weapon dated back to the 1300's, well before the family even owned land. There had been a son of a knight who saved a prince's life. The details were sketchy and the incident was not even formally recorded but family legend had it that this was the prince's sword, given to Scott's ancestor hundreds of years ago as a token of gratitude. Scott always thought that one of his Victorian ancestors had picked up the piece of junk and made the whole story up. The sword was certainly old; the blade was completely rusted and the hilt was plain and mostly rusted too. Any leather the weapon may have had on it had long ago rotted. It was not even a full length broad sword, more of a roman looking weapon, short and pointed. Scott thought it was ugly. It did not matter; neither blade was battle worthy and he could not use them anyway.

"Well?" said the cat.

"Well what?" asked Scott. "You don't expect me to choose one of these do you?"

"Not choose, take the older one," said the cat.

"I can't use that!" Scott gestured to the sword. "Even if it was new I could not use it!"

"Just take it," snapped the cat. Scott rolled his eyes and tugged the ancient blade from the iron wall brackets. It was heavy and stank of rust. Little brown and green flakes scattered on the ground.

"How the hell am I going to carry this around? It's worse than useless. Even if there is still metal under all this rust it won't be strong enough to use."

"If you want it to dislike you, keep insulting it," said the cat.

"It's a bit of metal," said Scott, "it does not have feelings to insult."

"Humans!" yowled the Brownie. "Just shut up and put it on the ground." Scott did so.

The tabby cat actually bowed its head to the blade. "Forgive him, Phyllis; he does not have a clue. You will have to educate him." Scott closed his eyes and shook his head.

"The sword is called Phyllis?" he said sardonically.

"Hush!" said the cat, reverently running his paw over the pitted blade. "This sword has been in your family for generations. During that time it has grown quite fond of you all and has offered its services to individuals on a number of occasions." The cat now had both paws on the sword and was brutally scratching the rust off; flakes flew everywhere. "You remember the story of your great, great grandmother defending the house from bandits?" Scott nodded.

"She killed two of them." He said, his father had always told him stories about his grandmother; she had been a real character

"It was more like twenty," said the brownie.

"What?" asked Scott.

"She never knew of course, the sword just used her so it could defend the family. Only two bodies were found; it vaporized the rest."

"I don't believe you," snorted Scott.

"You're talking to cat but you can't believe in an enchanted sword?" said the feline, glaring at him.

"Good point," Scott sighed, and bent to help the cat remove the rust. After peeling back layer upon layer of flakes, Scott saw something sparkle beneath his fingers.

"There is still metal under here?" he said surprise evident in his voice.

"Of course there is," scoffed the cat. "This is just a disguise Phyllis uses."

More and more metal sparkled at Scott; it was not silver in colour.

"This sword is bronze!" he gasped.

"She's old but shrewd," sneezed the cat.

"But bronze? How old is it?" asked Scott incredulously.

"I have no idea how old SHE is," said the brownie. "Enchanted swords don't age like normal weapons do."

The last of the rust flaked away revealing a thin brittle blade of bronze beneath.

"Come on, Phyllis, old girl," said the cat said with a chuckle. "Wake up; one of your brood needs a hand."

There was a blinding flash and Scott had to cover his eyes. When the spots had stopped dancing in his vision he looked down at the sword. It was still a short sword but it looked like new. The blade glowed with a buttery light and there was Celtic knot work all over the wickedly sharp doubled edged blade. The hilt was bronze too; just a plain cross piece and hand grip but the grip was bound with finely tooled leather with more knot work symbols upon it. Scott gingerly took hold of the blade. The strangest of sensations washed through him. The blade was pleased to be held by him. It was definitely female and had a sleepy warmth to it. Scott could not help smiling.

"A darling isn't she?" chuckled the brownie. "She'll look after you. Good job you did not go running off with me straight away. She would have been mad if I had let you go alone. Honestly, she is so quiet most of the time I forget she is here. Not like the other one," said the cat glaring at the claymore. "He just wants to avenge his owner, it's completely mad." Scott eyed the claymore. Now it had been pointed out to him, maybe there was just the tiniest feeling of malice coming from the blade. He was glad he had never touched it.

"How did my family get this… her," he corrected himself, his blue eyes fixed on the sword in his hand.

"Let's just say the prince that was saved was not a prince of this world," said the cat with a wink.

The sword almost vibrated with delight; it was happy to be used again and it was a real treat to adventure in the spirit world. The sword spoke to him without words. It was more feelings, and they were not imposed on him either, he was just gently made aware that she was there. Scott liked her immediately; she was like some cheeky elder aunt; old enough to have wisdom but not tired of the world yet.

"Right," said the cat. "We are good to go. Tuck Phyllis through your belt; she has sense enough not to cut you."

Scott shouldered his pack and followed the cat out of the house. He turned for one last look at the house before he entered the glen. The tired old building was a happy place for the most part. Even in the pelting Scottish rain it looked both ridiculous and charming. His brother Liam was waving enthusiastically from his bedroom window. Scott raised his hand in return.

"Don't worry old chap," said the cat at his feet. "I'll see that they are okay. You just make sure you come back to them, hale and healthy."

"I will," said Scott seriously. "This is my home."


	17. It Begins

**Yes I know it's been a while, but I'm back now. More scummy fan art for you're perusal. **

**http / www. deviantart. Com / deviation / 38255026 / for Daishar's take on Linca. And http / www. deviantart. Com / deviation / 37877831 / for a sweet chi+haku picture from Aja2ws. Just remember to remove the spaces! **

It Begins

The young man who suddenly materialised in Chihiro's room caused quite a stir. Chihiro had forgotten how good looking Scott was. She had only ever had one person on her mind so she had not really been aware of Scott in that way. Now she was mated to that person and a reasonably experienced woman, she could view Scott objectively.

He had grown his hair a little, and it softened his features considerably, the dark red colour glowed in the lamp light. His strong jaw sported a small amount of red stubble; the look was jarring to Chihiro. Haku never had "inconvenient" hair; it shouted Scott's humanity more than anything else about him. His icy blue eyes swept around the room, carefully taking everyone in. He did not seem in the least bit phased by his trip.

He towered over everyone in the room. She knew there were lean muscles under those faded army greens he was wearing. She remembered the feel of him from when he had kissed her. Just thinking about that particular incident made her ache for Haku. Scott's eyes fixed on Linca.

"White hair suites you," he grunted in broken Japanese. He was obviously out of practice and his accent was crushing the words.

"You don't have to speak a tongue that is not your own in this world," said the lady in perfect English. She stood and approached him slowly, giving him time to get a good look at her. She held her delicate blue palms out and they glowed magenta. Scott raised an eyebrow. The lady touched her fingers to his pale throat.

"Now all will understand you, Son of Mulvey. Speak as you would to one of your countrymen and any here will know what you say." She stepped back from him and he unconsciously rubbed his throat.

"My lady," he whispered, finding his voice. He bowed low. "You have my thanks." His speech was much more natural, but is sounded to Chihiro as if he was speaking perfect Japanese. It had never occurred to her that the spirits around her might all be speaking different languages depending on where they came from, but all language barriers were null and void in the spirit world. If only the human world could emulate that, communication could be universal. The lady laughed at the human, her eyes shining.

"Well, you are a charmer," she chuckled. "At least some humans have manners," she said, looking out for Chihiro out of the corner of her eye.

Linca was itching for the deity to get out of the way. She tugged at her white locks and her white eyes gazed longingly at the tall man. Her small hands tugged at her stained work clothes and she was not the only one worried about her appearance. Rin was smoothing back her dark hair and seemed on edge. She was looking more at the floor than the visitor. At last Linca could wait no more. She pushed past the deity and latched onto Scott, her head coming no higher than the middle of his chest.

"I missed you," she said into his shirt. "I never thought I would be able to see you again. I was worried about you."

"I was fine," he said, putting down his heavy back pack and hugging her back. "I survived perfectly well before non-humans started befriending me." Linca chuckled and stepped back from him.

"I wish I could have told you but…" she said, trying to explain, but Scott held up his hand, silencing her.

"What is done is done, I am here to help; you owe me no explanation." He said it stiffly, perhaps even coldly, but Linca deliberately ignored his tone.

"Let me introduce you around," she said enthusiastically. She took him by the arm and pulled him forward. He let the sprite lead him.

Chihiro felt like she was not even in the room as far as Scott was concerned, he had not looked at her once

"This is Rin," said Linca, standing him before the tall, beautiful spirit. "She is my adoptive sister," she continued. Scott bowed politely and Rin returned the greeting silently. Next Linca dragged him to Zeniba.

"This is Zeniba, one of the most powerful spirit witches in this area. She is also Granny to almost everyone she takes a liking to." Scott bowed again.

"I'll make sure to be extra nice to you then, madam," he said with just a hint of a grin on his stern features. Zeniba laughed, charmed by the human. Next Scott was introduced to Meeka and the Lady. Scott was not at all unsettled by the wood spirit's cat-like attributes and did not look in the least disturbed when Linca introduced the Lady as "the most powerful spirit in this world and Goddess of all us who live here." He simply bowed to them both, muttering polite greetings.

Finally Linca dragged him around to where Chihiro stood.

"I don't need to introduce you two," she said quietly and backed away, as if she feared she would be dragged into something. Icy blue eyes locked onto rich brown ones. They looked at each other and the moments ticked by. Finally Chihiro bowed.

"I am sorry," she said to the floor.

"Don't get all Japanese on me, Chihiro," he almost snapped. She straightened so quickly her vertebra in her lower back cracked. It had been the first cross word she had ever heard from him.

"Don't apologise to me, I am here of my own free will,"

"But…" Chihiro squeaked.

"You're worried about my feelings?" he asked incredulously. "Well, better late than never I suppose. Using me never bothered you before, why bother with such scruples now?"

Meeka hissed and her ginger tail lashed from side to side. Chihiro made a small hand gesture to the wood spirit to quiet her. Scott had every right to be angry and Chihiro was going to listen to everything he had to say, she owed him that much.

"I was worried about you," he said bitterly. "You fell into that water and I never heard from you again." He looked around the room. "Clearly I have been thinking of you more than you have been thinking about me." He folded his arms. "Was a message to tell me you were safe too much to ask?" he enquired sarcastically. "I know you were probably getting hot and heavy with the "thing" you were trying so desperately to get back too, but surely you could have found the time to get one massage to me, just to set my mind at ease."

Chihiro did not know what to say. She knew she had been selfish, but it was only now becoming clear to her how selfish. She had been so in love, she had not stopped to think about the man who had aided her, not once. Scott had willingly helped her escape from the hospital, just like an old fashioned knight in shining armour. He did not even get the girl in the end and he had known that she did not want him. He had helped her anyway, and she had blithely accepted his help without any consideration of the pain she may cause him.

"I am sorry," she whispered. "I know I am taking advantage of your kindness, I know I treated you badly; I would not ask unless I was desperate."

"I guessed that," he grunted. "You would have no other reason to contact me unless it was through desperation." Chihiro bit her lip, she felt utterly miserable.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered again. What else could she say? There were no other words to express how horrified she was at her own self-centredness. She had been so in love, she still was, but that was no excuse for treading on peoples' feelings.

Scott looked at her face. There were dark circles under her eyes, as if she had not slept, and her skin was pale. She was worrying herself sick about her partner he supposed. She was a fragile creature; it had been one of the things that had drawn him to her. His protective instincts began to plague him once more. He really was a pathetic creature; he could not stay angry at her when she was looking so distressed. He sighed, defeated by his own kind nature once again.

"I guess a mother has to do what she must to protect her family," he said quietly, looking at the floor.

Chihiro caught her breath; he knew. He knew she carried Haku's child and yet he had come to her aid. Maybe it was even because she was pregnant that he was here. She felt humbled and utterly despicable at the same time; this had seemed like such a good idea when he was still a world away from her.

"Enough of this," he said tiredly. "I've had a very strange day." He held out his hand.

"Tell me what you need me to do and I will do it," he sighed.

Chihiro opened her mouth then closed it again; she had not really planned beyond this point. Hesitantly she took his hand and shook it. She swallowed her pride and gave him a small smile.

"I'm sorry about your partner," he said gently. "I would have liked to have met him, and a little one needs its father around no matter how inhuman he is." Chihiro's lip trembled and pain hit her in the chest so hard it was almost like a physical blow.

"I don't deserve to even know someone like you Scott," she breathed.

"I know," he said quickly. "I'm the best pal anyone could have; obliging and unthreatening."

"Nonsense," said Linca, chipping in now the danger of an argument had passed. She took his arm and stood next to him her white eyes twinkling appreciatively at him. "You are 6 foot 5 of pure muscle," she said while running a finger down his bicep. "I would not want to meet you down a dark alley." A grin split her face and she moistened her lips. "Then again, that would depend on what you were going to do to me in that alley," she said huskily. Scott scowled at the diminutive spirit, then burst out laughing.

"You have not changed," he chuckled.

"Of course I haven't," Linca purred hugging his arm to her more tightly.

Chihiro could not help smirking. Linca had to crane her neck to look up at the red headed young man; it interfered with her seduction technique quite considerably. Scott was used to the sprite's antics. He let her cling to him and trail her fingers over him without even raising an eyebrow at her. The sprite, however, was not used to being ignored. Chihiro did not know how many spirits had ended up in her bed since the end of the mating season but she was sure it was not insignificant. She was not used to being denied something she wanted and Scott was treating her exactly as he had at university, with benign disinterest. She cuddled a little closer to him as he tried to speak to Chihiro. He kept glancing at Rin out of the corner of his eye, who wore a disapproving frown. Chihiro realised it must be a bit like being caught in a vice, having three sisters to deal with all of whom viewed him differently. Chihiro just wanted an easy friendship with him, Linca wanted what she normally wanted from any attractive male and Rin probably wanted nothing to do with him judging from the guarded look of suspicion that was written on her features.

Scott turned his attention back to Chihiro.

"So what do we do now?" he asked. Chihiro swallowed and tried to think. Scott gave her a sharp look. "Do you have any idea where you are going?" he asked.

"Some," she replied uncertainly. She rolled up her sleeves and showed him her arms with the indelible marks zig-zagging over her skin.

"These represent my quest and it is two fold. One is for getting my mate back, the other I am unsure about."

"I think I can perhaps shed some light on that other mark now," said the Lady casually.

"Now the whole cast is assembled the quest is official. I can now take on a guidance role." She cocked her head suddenly as if listening to something.

"Oh dear," she muttered. She sat back on a window ledge, wiggling to get herself comfortable. "Sorry," she said and began to work the clasps at the front of her dress, exposing one generous breast. Scott's eyebrows shot up, finally surprised by something in this world. "He really can't wait any longer," the Lady explained. Suddenly her arms were full with a naked brown baby. Kisho looked as if he was already well over a year old. He had a thick thatch of blue black hair and his violet eyes were wondering around the room.

"Auntie!" he exclaimed, slurring the word around his four white baby teeth.

"Auntie?" said Scott, looking at Chihiro questioningly.

"Long story," Chihiro muttered.

"You can talk to your auntie later," cooed the goddess. "You were screaming with hunger a moment ago." The child clamped its mouth over the goddess's nipple and began to drink with childish avarice.

"Remember not to bite this time," said the lady softly, stroking his black hair. Kisho nodded once and went back to drinking, his whole body relaxing into the crook of his mothers arm, one brown hand absently stroking the blue skin of his mother's breast.

"_Will it be like this for me?"_ Chihiro wondered_. "Will my child be talking at four months old? Will it age as quickly as Kisho?"_ There were so many unknowns. She was effectively carrying a hybrid, no one knew what the child would turn out like. It could be almost totally human, or mostly favour Haku.

"_As long as I don't lay an egg I think I will be able to cope,"_ thought Chihiro with an internal chuckle. There had been many Halflings in the past. Japanese legends were full of stories about demons and spirits that mated with humans to produce mixed offspring. The stories were not confined to Japan however; nearly every culture had legends about Han'yo, just like nearly every culture had some sort of dragon legend. "I'll be alright," she reassured herself. "I'm not the first to go through this and I probably won't be the last."

Rin was looking at the mother and child with such sadness in her brown eyes, as was Zeniba. Zeniba was proof of the pain that could be caused by a human and non-human liaison. Human and spirit relationships were cursed according to legend. Chihiro had hoped that such a curse was pure myth; she was beginning to think otherwise. "No one will take you from me," she promised her unborn child. "Not while I still draw breath."

"Well," said the lady, her attention turning to her audience. "As I said, I will now be the guide for this quest." Kisho frowned. His eyes were nearly lost as his chubby baby features wrinkled up. He took his mouth away from his mother's breast and messily licked his lips.

"But Daddy said you should not…" his face screwed up further as he searched for the word, "… mebble in this," he said, his face brightening as the mispronounced word rolled off his tongue. He hiccupped and burped contentedly.

"Hush now," said the lady with a fond smile. "What Daddy does not know won't hurt him. This is a very important thing and Mummy thinks she should see to it personally." She stroked his cheek. "Now drink up, or you won't get big and strong like Daddy is." The child nodded his violet eyes serious, and resumed his suckling.

"As I was saying," continued the lady, appearing slightly flustered. "I can guide you, but no more. I will provide information to you, but you will make your own judgements on how to proceeded and use the knowledge I give you. In the end you four only have each other to rely on." The Goddess juggled her child and offered him the other breast, covering the one he was finished with. Kisho appeared to be half asleep. His violet eyes slid closed as he began to suckle again.

"So in order for you to decide you first movie will tell you a story," sighed the goddess. She sat back a little, leaning against the window behind her. She flicked her raven hair over her shoulder. Chihiro found a seat and waited for the goddess of the spirit world to speak.

"Once, long ago all was one," said the lady's sweet voice, all in the room grew still and listened to her intently. "There was no difference between spirit world and physical world, caporal and ethereal existed side by side. All was as it should be until the ones who resembled us arrived. They had no power, and only had one form, they were hardly different from the other purely physical creatures that inhabited the world, and yet some of us recognised the spark in their dark eyes and knew they would one day become much more. Some welcomed the new animals, as was their right. Some ignored them, as was their right. Some actively preyed upon them, as was their right. None of us feared them, we all of us underestimated them.

"The creatures multiplied and grew in intelligence as they grew in numbers. The sub species disappeared and they became one strong race. It was then that we noticed that the new comers could manipulate their environment, just as we could. We thought their attempt to forcibly change the world around them quaint; they could not use magic as we could and so had to do it the hard way. Some of us even tried to aid them to make their hard lives a little easier. Soon after that they gained the ability to grow their own food. We all rejoiced at this discovery. Though we spirits don't starve we don't like to go hungry either.

"But things started to change. More and more land was cleared by the new comers and the spirits who made their homes in these lands either adapted to the changes, were forced into hiding, or were driven away. Non bonded spirits began to shun areas were large amounts of humans lived and those bonded to those lands were usually weakened and rarely seen. With little interaction with our kind the humans began to forget us. Only those in rural communities remembered and respected us, though they saw us less and less frequently. Things reached a critical point around 6000 years ago. The human population began to rise more rapidly. To save our kind from the problems that all these extra humans would cause, we combined our powers and the world was split into two. The physical and the ethereal were separated. Everything magical would reside in one world and everything non magical in the other.

"The bonded spirits would still have a strong connection to the physical world but would essentially reside in this one, thus they would be able to bear all but the most destructive of human activity. When they became weak they could seek solace in this world and places like this bath house sprung up to cater for them. They still could protect their bond places however, and still had influence over the physical world some even still had active contact with humans now that they were protected. The humans now had the physical world almost to themselves. As time wore on the worlds moved further apart. It become more and more difficult for a creature of the purely physical to come to the world of magic. Conversely, it became more difficult for spirits with no bonds to the physical to visit the physical world. Humans and spirits hardly ever saw each other and now the worlds are stretched as far apart as they can be while still remaining parallel. Most now believe that the worlds will sever and while we will suffer greatly from losing our connection to the physical, the humans will suffer more without our influence in their world. Many wish human kind that slow end, without us their world would die, but most do not know that without the physical we will also eventually cease to be. We need each other, but few now remember the time when the worlds were one."

"So human kind forced the separation of the worlds?" whispered Chihiro.

"Indeed," said the lady. "And most thought at the time we had done the right thing. A few objected, some idealists believed we could both perfectly co exist, others thought that human kind should be culled and their numbers and development should be regulated by us. I have heard both those opinions voiced again in the past few months," said the lady sadly

"Why?" asked Linca. "Everyone knows that it's rubbish. Humans and spirits cannot live together."

"And yet you have a human sister sitting beside you," said Zeniba quietly.

"Chihiro is a human that lives as we do," said the lady. "A human that is a mate to one of our most powerful; a human that carries his child even though she has been careful," the lady smiled at Chihiro. "You have proved us all wrong child; human kind and spirit can live harmoniously."

"I may have come to the wrong conclusion here," said Scott with a small frown. "But are you saying that some of your people want to jam the worlds back together because of Chihiro?"

"That would be pure folly," said Rin softly. "Few humans even know of our existence, Chihiro's case is exceptional."

"Perhaps she is merely an excuse," said Zeniba. "One could gain a lot of followers through such a dogma. Think of all those billions of humans out there, slowly killing the land they live on. They have no concept of the pain their actions cause us. If the worlds were made one not only would the entire human race suddenly be surrounded by beings that could dominate them, but a large proportion would die due to the sallow-hale as they have no magical blood in them at all. We have been separated a long time, even Chihiro needed help to adapt to the latent magic that permeates everything in this world, and Scott will need the same intervention before he starts to sicken."

"I will?" said Scott.

"I'll take care of all that," said the lady, covering herself up and winding her sleeping son. "I'll also temporarily bond you, as you are here to provide a service there is no law restricting your stay here while you complete your task."

"So some fool is trying to destroy human kind?" squeaked Linca. "That's not possible!"

"Not destroy, control," said Zeniba with a worried frown. "Cut down the numbers by a few billion and then have them living under our total authority. They would never be able to harm us again that way." The room was silent; none of the spirits present wanted to say that the idea could possibly have wide appeal. "Besides, it is possible," sighed Zeniba. "If you have enough power, that is."

"Not even Master Haku could get close to doing something like that," said Meeka, her ginger ears twitching.

"You're correct," said Zeniba. "But No-Face arrived at the bathhouse this morning; he informed me that my seal has been stolen."

"Your seal is gone?" asked the goddess, her face shocked. Chihiro guessed it was not that often that a god was surprised. Zeniba hung her head.

"No-Face picked up the faint scent of my sister within my cottage." The old witch looked at her gnarled hands. "This incident puts a whole new perspective on the bath house attack, I think," she whispered.

"You mean it was a diversion?" hissed Rin. "All that killing just to get your seal?"

"With it and the right techniques, a powerful being could bring about the union of worlds. It would take time, and a vast amount of power, but it could be done."

"Then why kidnap Haku?" asked Chihiro. Zeniba and the Lady looked at each other.

"The powerful entity I fear my sister has allied herself with probably did not plan on capturing Haku. He was a bonus, nothing more. With him he has leverage over you, Chihiro; the one who must fulfil the prophecy."

"He's going to kill him if I interfere," whispered Chihiro, her heart sinking. How could she act against a creature that held Haku's life in its hands?

"I think not," said Rin firmly. "Haku is a powerful being in himself, not easily killed, and with Haku in their grasp our opponent has a ready source of power he can tap into."

"You mean he will bleed him dry to bring his plan to fruition?" said Linca, her jaw dropping. She was not even clinging to Scott anymore.

"It's what I would do," said Rin.

Scott gave the brunette spirit an appraising look. It was better than the constant look of confusion on his features. Chihiro knew she would have to find time to full him in later, but her mind was flooded with her own troubles at that moment.

"So I have possibly brought ruin on my entire race because I tried to live happily," she whispered. No one said anything to contradict her. "Well, that's not fair," she said, almost chuckling. The sword at her side growled in her head for her to act, right the wrongs she had suffered; she ignored it. "So I guess I am truly cursed. Well, I was warned," she muttered.

"You are the justification for someone to gain power and build a world more to their liking. This is not a personal thing, you are just being used."

"Used," Chihiro whispered, deliberately not looking at Scott. "Perhaps I deserve it."

"This is all speculation," snapped Rin. "Stop being such a defeatist, we don't know anything for sure yet except that Haku is still alive; you would know if it was otherwise."

Chihiro nodded and absently touched the Tac' Tal at her neck.

"We should discover the prophecy and then decide what to do," said Rin.

But Chihiro was not listening; in touching the obsidian pendent her mind was filled with an anguished cry. The cry was her name, she was needed elsewhere urgently. She shuddered.

"_I'm coming,"_ she thought at the voice_. "I'm sorry; I've not being thinking properly, I'll be there soon."_ The cry turned to a whimper and faded from her mind.

"Chihiro?" Linca was shaking her, a worried look on her face. "Are you alright?" she bleated. "You looked like you were about to faint."

"I have to go now," said Chihiro dreamily. She bowed to the Goddess shakily. "Thank you for the story but I will act on your words later; I have something else that I need to attend to."

"The water is calling you?" asked the lady with a sympathetic look.

"Yes," Chihiro replied.

"Don't let its sadness drown you," warned the goddess.

"It won't hurt me," said Chihiro. "I'm its mate, and we have much to discuss." Her hand fell to her stomach. "It does not know it is to be a father yet."


	18. Meetings and Partings

_**Meetings and Partings**_

Chihiro got off the train. She remembered the platform well, smooth polished stone and green fungus illuminating the walls. The tunnel that the train had travelled through disappeared on into the darkness, gaping like a toothless monster's cavernous mouth. Her feet slipped a little on the damp stone. She would have taken off her shoes but she knew the stone would be cold underfoot.

Linca and Rin looked around them. Linca had only ever been here once but Rin had never seen any of the place at all, even though her sister spent half of her time here. Chihiro knew her sisters were uneasy; they felt as if they were intruding, and indeed they would be if they were here without Chihiro. A bonded spirit's home was a very private thing; it was the most intimate and vulnerable part of the entity and only those trusted were allowed near, unless they were human, of course, and could not sense the spirit's displeasure at being disturbed. Scott proved the point; he had no uneasiness at all about standing on the threshold of the domain of one of the most powerful of spirits. He looked around, a small frown on his face, drawing his dark eyebrows together.

"You live here?" he asked. Chihiro nodded and moved forward through the tunnel that exited the platform. "Cosy," he muttered behind her, obviously still seeking to lock horns with her. But Chihiro was not paying him any attention. She was too focused on what lay ahead of her; the vast body of water that was whispering and calling for her.

The tunnel was low and Scott was obliged to bend his head a little. The air was slightly stale. Haku always kept the place well ventilated; it was the first sign that all was not as it should be. The fungus glowed just as brightly, however, and the air was not rank; not yet. The tunnel angled downward. Rin lost her footing on the slick ground and fell, slithering for a few feet on her bottom. Scott turned and took her hands, pulling her up and dusting down her back for her.

"Be more careful," he said gruffly then turned to follow Chihiro without another word. Rin's dark eyes glared at his back. The nerve of the human! Linca laughed at her sister's expression.

"He did not mean it as it sounded, Rin," she said in a low tone. Muttering, Rin trailed after the tall human.

It was not long before the tunnel began to widen and the light grew brighter. Chihiro could smell the damp in the air; the water could feel her coming and rejoiced. After about half an hour, the tunnel entered the cavern. Chihiro smiled at the gasps behind her. She supposed it was impressive. The tunnel came out on a platform above the lake. The cavern was illuminated with soft green light that bounced off the black water below. The vast lake was in constant motion; black waves stirred the surface as if blown by an intangible wind. The lake was in turmoil; confused and in pain with the forced separation from itself.

The reaction from Linca was instantaneous. With a little cry she threw herself down the steps cut into the cavern wall, her white hair streaming behind her.

"Linca!" shouted Scott. "You'll fall!"

"If she does, she'll bounce," said Chihiro picking her way down the slippery steps.

"She's a spirit; it takes more than falling thirty feet to hurt her," sniffed Rin. Scott raised an eyebrow and looked at the woman's sharp face.

"I did not mean to patronise you a moment ago." He bowed formally to her. "I have a younger sister; she was forever falling over as a child. I did not think."

Rin actually smiled at him. "Well, that's understandable, I suppose," she said awkwardly.

Linca was at the bottom of the steps already and racing towards the lake shore.

"LINCA!" Chihiro yelled urgently. "Don't touch that water!" But the sprite was not listening. Chihiro guessed that it was her own loneliness that was driving the sprite. She had to abandon her own home; the sight of the lake in so much pain was probably too much for her to take. Rin took over Chihiro and bounded down the steps, four at a time, but Linca was already at the shore. Lip trembling, she held out her delicate light blue hand to the pounding waves.

"LINCA!" Rin cried. "DON'T!"

Chihiro could feel the malice building in the water; it would turn on the sprite like a pain-maddened animal if she touched it.

"It's alright," Linca cooed at the water, "I want to help."

Chihiro could feel what the water was doing but she could not control it; the only control it had was its other self, who understood the world much better.

The water exploded outwards and something large and bulky shot out of it, knocking the sprite backwards. Chihiro swore and quickened her pace.

"What is that?" hissed Scott.

"A friend," said Chihiro. "But we need to stop him eating her."

Rin reached the prone spirit first, who was pinned by four hooves and was staring up into a velvet nose and mad dark eyes. Rin carefully drew a blade from somewhere on her person.

"No, Rin," gasped Chihiro, finally catching up. "He's ok; let me talk to him." The nygel bared his tombstone-like teeth at the spirit below him, ears laid flat against his head, flanks quivering. Linca was soaking from the water running off him but all she could do was stare in shock.

"What are you doing here?" he whinnied angrily. "What makes you think a lowly sprite like yourself is worthy enough to touch this water?" Linca just shook her head, mute.

"Nygel," said Chihiro gently. The stocky pony looked up, tossing its head to flick its shaggy main out of its face. "You're scaring my friend," she said calmly. The nygel stared at her; slowly his ears pricked forward and his brown eyes softened.

"Mistress," he whispered.

"Yes," she replied with a small smile.

"Where have you been?" he asked with a sharp whinny.

"I'm here now," she said. Stepping forward, she reached out and carefully rested a hand on his long nose. The water horse nickered and nuzzled her shoulder, nearly knocking her back.

"The water hurts," he said, nibbling her clothes like a foal.

"I know," she replied. "But I hope to help it as much as I can."

"Where is the dragon?" he asked, leaning into her as she scratched his neck. Linca seized the opportunity to scramble back from the dangerous creature. Water horses could snack on spirit as well as human if they so chose.

"I don't know," whispered Chihiro. "But I will get him back."

The nygel tossed his head and glared at the people behind Chihiro. "Who are they?" he demanded.

"My sisters and a friend of mine," said Chihiro firmly. "And no dunking the human and certainly no snacking!" she warned.

"Me?" said the water horse with affronted pride. "I was just trying to stop the stupid sprite from getting hurt."

"I know," said Chihiro with a smile. "You did well." She patted his neck and slapped his wet hide appreciatively.

"I don't know how the water will receive you if you go near it," said the nygel seriously.

"It won't hurt me," said Chihiro with conviction. "We are going to the house now," she said gently. "You're welcome to come."

The water horse pranced back from her. "But I'll wet the floor!" he squealed.

"That's alright," she said with a sad smile. "I think I need to talk to you, and my sister needs dry clothes and an apology from you." The horse grunted and swished his tail glaring at the crestfallen sprite who was hanging onto Rin for dear life.

"Very well," he grumbled and followed the human across the beach. "You could ride," he offered.

"No, thank you," she said her hand falling to her stomach. "But I appreciate the offer."

* * *

Chihiro sat in the main front room of her house and sighed. It had been icy when she arrived but now a fire crackled in the hearth and she had a full stomach. The house was well stocked with food and Linca had concocted a dried fish stew that was spicy but satisfying. The sprite was very quiet but seemed to bear no ill will towards the water horse. The horse himself had been very awkward in the house at first, bemoaning the puddles that followed him around the polished stone floors. He was lying by the fire now, sprawled like a giant dog. His coat had dried out and was actually incredibly fluffy. He had told her the state the lake was in; it had been very confused at first but now it was coming to terms with what had happened. This was familiar territory for it; it had been separated from its dragon before. That was not to say it was not distressed. Apart from being polluted, this was the worst thing that could happen to it. But the nygel had warned Chihiro against approaching the lake.

"It is in pain it will not treat you gently because it's mated to you," he snorted.

"Your mate is the water?" said Scott incredulously.

"Yes," she said. "It's difficult to explain but it's like his soul. His physical form was taken so his inner self is suffering." Scott just shook his head, not understanding. Chihiro sighed and stood. She returned a few minutes later, a small picture frame in her hand. She had kept Meeka's present to her in her bedroom; it was such a good likeness of her mate she wanted to keep it close to her. She handed the picture frame to Scott and he carefully turned it over. The image jumped out at him. Chihiro watched as Scott examined the Baraka. He passed his hand through the three dimensional hologram-like image of Chihiro riding a white dragon.

"Is that him?" he asked, blue eyes serious. She nodded.

"In his other physical form; I don't have a picture of him in his human form," she said apologetically. Scott looked at the expression of joy on the face of the girl in the picture and the sad, hunted features of the mother-to-be before him. He put the picture down on the table beside him.

"I still don't understand, Chihiro, but I can tell by they way you are suffering that this person may as well be your husband. I am here to help you even if I am just a human and my understanding is limited."

"I'm human too; I've not changed. I'm just plain old Chihiro. I'm still learning about this place; in fact, I think I will spend the rest of my life learning about it," she said quietly. She picked the picture back up and hugged it to her. She sat quietly for the rest of the evening; saying little; speaking only when spoken to. Like a good hostess she showed her guests to their rooms, biding them goodnight in hushed tones. She returned to the sleeping water horse. She knelt beside the creature and ran her hands through the fluffy bay coat, straightening the lighter coloured mane. It snorted in its sleep and a leg twitched, unshod hoof scraping the stone floor. She patted it fondly and left it to rest.

She sat on a large comfy chair and tucked her feet up. She could hear the pounding of the lake on the shore and its voice was still in her mind, small and whimpering. If it had been a child she would have held it to her until it felt better. But this was water; how could she possibly comfort it?

She closed her eyes and she must have fallen asleep. When she opened her eyes again the room was just the same, dimly lit with a horse sprawled before the fire, fast asleep. The only difference was there was someone else in the room, sitting on the seat next to her. She turned to see a very familiar profile, sharp features and flashing green eyes. Her heart leapt.

"Haku?" she breathed.

"Almost," he replied, turning to her with a small smile. Realisation hit Chihiro.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I?" she whispered, disappointment crushing her hope.

"Yes," he replied. "But the interesting thing is that I don't feel like a dream." He put his head on one side. "Touch me," he whispered. Lip trembling, Chihiro reached out for her mate, just to stroke his hair, it was all she needed. Her hand passed straight through him. Haku closed his beautiful eyes and sighed. "As I thought, I'm not really here."

"Then where are you?" she breathed, tears starting to trickle down her face.

"Somewhere too dry; other than that, I have no idea," he smiled at her.

"Don't cry, little one," he whispered, running a hand that was not really there over her face. She felt nothing but drank in the sight of him.

"This won't last long I barely have the strength to stand at the moment," he said sadly. "Good thing I had the foresight to leave part of my soul with you," he said with a chuckle. "Or any communication between us would be impossible. As it is, this may be all we have; I can't guarantee my mind will be able to reach you again."

"I'm going to rescue you!" she blurted out. "I'm coming to get you."

Haku shook his head, his face serious. "No, little one, you stay where it is safe. They want you to come, that is what this is all about," he said softly. "They will make you dance to their tune and manipulate you through me. I won't have that."

She burned to tell him her news; she longed to tell him he was going to be a father. But the words stuck in her throat; he did not need to know that now. The news might weaken him. If he thought she was safe and protected he would concentrate on his own safety.

"Alright," she whispered. "I will stay with the lake." She was lying; she was going to do everything in her power to rescue him but she did not want to fill these precious moments with argument. She wanted to rescue him.

"I miss you so much," she sobbed.

"And I, you," he whispered, moving to close to her. She should be able to feel his sweet breath on her face. "But I need to know you are safe."

"I know," she replied. "I am well taken care of, I can assure you," she said with a smile.

"I'm working on a way out," he said softly. "Be patient and I will return to you; you have my word, Chihiro."

She nodded, wiping at her eyes. When she looked up again, he was gone.

"No!" she screamed.

She sprang out of her chair, looking around. She was awake and the water horse was staring at her. "Come back!" she croaked, her throat closing over. "Please!" she begged. But there was no answer; there was just faint warmth in the Tac'Tal around her neck.

"_I did not even tell him I loved him_," she thought, hiding her face in her hands. The thought rattled around her brain that she might have stained their last words together with lies. But needs must; she was his mate and she was going to do all she could to bring him back to her, including tell barefaced lies to him to keep him strong. The marks on her arms ached.

Resolve strengthened, she lowered her hands to find the nygel struggling to his feet.

"What is it?" he asked, trotting over to her. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"I need to talk to the lake," she whispered, looking at him steadily. "I want you to come with me and pull me out if things go bad."

"It's not a good idea; I told you it could drown you by accident…"

"I know," she interrupted him. "But I can't waste time here; I have to find out what I have to do and quickly. I need to get my mate back." The nygel snorted at the human's arrogance. If the dragon could not free himself, how could she ever hope to help him?

"Now, nygel," she said firmly.

"Yes, mistress," he replied, bowing his head.

"Do you have a name other than nygel?" she asked her voice still a little unsteady.

"Snaffu," he replied.

"Snaffu?" she almost laughed.

"It was the name of the first human ever to capture me; he treated me well. He was a pharaoh. I pulled his chariot but he got careless one day and did not renew the control spells on me. I ate him, except the liver, of course; I left that to float in the Nile."

Chihiro shook her head at the amoral spirit. "And you wonder why I won't ride you," she muttered.

"You are a nice human. Even if you were not the dragon's mate, I would not eat you," he said, baring his teeth in a horsy grin.

"Very reassuring," she muttered. "Come on, I want to do this before the others wake up."

* * *

On the cliff line above the lake, Chihiro sat and removed her shoes. She placed them beside her then emptied her pockets. Some gold coins, a sprig of mint that she had been chewing on and a lock of her mate's hair; she had tied red thread around it to bind it together. She stroked it and then tucked it into her right shoe. With that she stood; her travelling clothes would not weigh her down too much. She looked over the cliff at the choppy black water.

"Tell me you are not thinking of jumping in there," whinnied the nygel. Chihiro grinned at him and sprinted off the edge of the cliff. She plunged through the air, her stomach rising into her mouth. She crossed her arms and prepared to hit the water but the water parted below her and received her without so much as a splash.

"HUMANS!" snorted the nygel before he dove over the cliff himself.

Chihiro was sucked down. She did not fight the water; it knew she needed to breathe. She held her breath and trusted it. Her faith paid off, she was borne upward, completely supported by the currents. Her head broke the surface and she sucked in lungfuls of air. She was in a small cavern filled with green fungus and black water. There was barely enough room for her head, but there was a fissure in the rock above her through which fresh air leaked. The water below her was probably fathoms deep but the water held her motionless; she did not have to move at all.

"Thank you," she thought at it. The water pressed against her, desperate to be close. "Not too much," she warned. "I can get damaged." The water understood. It told her that it was damaged. Without Haku it could not regulate its temperature; it was getting too cold and some of the life within it was already starting to die. The air from above was not filtering through as it should. It reeled off an incomprehensible list of things that were going wrong at a microscopic level. Chihiro felt like covering her ears; it was too much. She thought to it that she could give it sympathy but not much else. She was human, there was nothing she could do… but the water was no longer listening to her. A small wave of pressure ran up her stomach like a caress; she could feel its interest. There was something different about her but what was it? She pictured in her mind what a foetus looked like, human shaped but transparent, heart beating in its chest and her own body feeding it. The whole lake stilled. Not a single current stirred within it.

Its human was with child.

Gently she was pulled back into the water; she was handled as if she would break apart. When she was pushed back to the surface again she was not far from the black sand shore where she had first met the water horse. The horse himself was prancing around the sand in worried circles; the water had obviously kept her from him. Chihiro found her footing and began to wade towards him. The water bubbled around her feet joyfully; she did not have to worry about a thing, she just had to stay safe. It did not matter what happened to itself now; it would live on in the child.

Chihiro could not lie to the water; she told it of her intention to go after its physical self. The water considered her plan and grudgingly agreed that she should go after him. It was in her interests and the child's to gain back what had been taken from them. The water pushed something into her hand. It was a small glass bottle of water, no bigger than her thumb. The water told her that she could check on its condition by the colour of the water within. If it turned black, that was the last phase before it was dead. She thanked it. She struggled up the beach and the nygel whinnied in greeting.

"I'm sorry; it threw me out and would not let me return. It wanted you all to itself," he explained, ears swivelling.

"Now I know where your other self gets his possessive streak from," thought Chihiro to the water. They finally left the lake. She felt exhausted but she knew they should be leaving in a few hours.

"Will you please let me take you up to the house?" begged the horse.

"I can't ride," said Chihiro, patting him.

"Are you worried I'll dunk you or is it the child?" he asked with a sly nicker.

"Both," she replied "How long have you known?"

"I have a very good nose; I smelt the change in you when you first came near me," he said proudly. "As for not wanting to damage the child, I'm not a normal horse; the ride will be so smooth you will think you are sitting in a chair."

Chihiro was too tired to argue. The horse knelt for her and she slipped onto its back. It rose and Chihiro thought she would surely fall off, but she seemed to be held magically in place. The nygel turned away from the lake and walked up the steps to the house. He did indeed step lightly; Chihiro hardly moved at all.

"Wherever it is you are going, I'm coming too," he declared. Chihiro did not argue. She lent forward and rested her cheek against his mane, her arms hugging his neck.

"I'm sorry I lied to you, Haku," she whispered and fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.


	19. In the Mire

**In the Mire**

Haku groaned. He was awake again. How long had he been out this time? He was unsure but the rays of sun pouring from the tiny window above him told him he had slept the bitter night through. He let his head hang again to try and stretch the muscles in his shoulders. He was getting used to the pain. Indeed, his arms, pinned above him, were starting to become numb. For a human this would have been very worrying but Haku knew his body could take care of itself; his stomach wound was almost healed. His head still hurt but at least he was no longer trying to vomit. His lack of strength was entirely down to his efforts on the spells that cut him off from his power. He smiled to himself; it had been worth it; he had seen her.

He had been about to pass out from another session of attacking the weave of the spells that bound him when he felt something give. It was like breathing a tiny amount of pure oxygen after nearly drowning. He gasped, and then to his embarrassment, he panicked. He was terrified that the weave of the spell would try to repair itself at any moment and he would lose his tenuous hold on his power. His heart in his mouth, Haku shoved everything he had at the tiny breach. Of course he passed out, but he did not fail. He did not want to re-establish connection to the water, he knew what would be happening and there was nothing he could do to help it. It was his mate that he reached for.

When he found himself sitting in his own house, he knew he was not really there. He suspected he was in his own mate's mind. The nygel sleeping by the fire made him raise an eyebrow, then again his human did not care what calibre of spirit she associated with; it was one of her charms. He turned and saw her sleeping on the chair next to him. He had sighed with relief; she was fine. She looked a little pale but otherwise she was healthy. That would have been enough for him, but at that moment she became aware that she was not alone within her own mind. He had hoped that he would remain long enough for her to see him. He was given more than he could ever hope for. He got a chance to speak to her. Her face changed when she saw him, it lit up with a euphoric joy that both warmed and humbled him. What had he ever done to be so loved? She had shed tears and promised to find him; he had told her that she was to look after herself and to stay safe. She was so fragile, and there was no chance of her finding him; even he did not know where he was. She would stay safe and in doing so fulfil whatever prophecy she was meant to. She had reassured him she would stay safe; it had been all he needed to hear.

The he had woken up, parched and in pain. When had he last eaten? He did not know and he had lost track of the days too.

He jumped as the bolts in the door opposite him rattled back. He had a visitor; that was a new development. Since he had taken a snap at Yubaba he had been left alone. The door opened, scraping the floor and piling up mini sand dunes behind it. Haku winced as the sound echoed around his sensitive skull. In the doorway stood a tall figure, hidden in shadow. While Haku had no access to his power, his other senses worked perfectly well. He could smell the magic running through this spirit; this was no mere jailer, it was too powerful for that. He remained silent, taking in as much information on the spirit as he could. It moved into the cell and the light from the window fell on jet black hair that seemed to devour the light rather than reflect it, was longer than his own, and braided down the spirit's back. Haku met the grey eyes that regarded him with open interest. He still said nothing. The spirit closed the door and then laughed. Haku blinked, feeling confused. It had not been what he expected; the laugh was not taunting or bitter, it was a genuine laugh of amusement.

"Forgive me," said the spirit, still smirking. "But you are a diabolical mess." The voice was low and lilting. This was not the sort of nemesis Haku had anticipated at all. With nothing to say, he remained silent. "I shall have my jailer whipped for keeping you in such conditions, Kohaku," sighed the spirit. "Just because you are my captive does not mean I expect one such as you to live in squalor." He looked around and tutted. "Not even so much as a bowl of water for your comfort. Shadow spirits really have no common sense." The spirit closed his eyes and suddenly Haku was drenched by a few gallons of pure, fresh water falling on him out of the oven dry air. He groaned; he could not help it. He flicked his dripping hair back and licked his lips; it felt delightful to be wet again. He did not question his captor at all, hoping his silence would provoke the spirit. It was the only weapon he had left.

"Your stay here will be of some duration, I'm afraid," said the spirit. "I apologise for not checking on you sooner but I have been exceptionally busy." The spirit crouched down to Haku's eye level. "I must say it is an honour to meet you at last, Kohaku. Had circumstances been different, I am sure we would have much to talk about." Haku glared at him by way of a response. The spirit put its head on one side and frowned, grey eyes focusing on the bonds above Haku's head.

"You've not been idle, I see," he murmured and the grey eyes looked back into the dragon's own. "Though I should expect nothing less; if I was in your position I would be doing the same." A pale, long fingered hand touched the obsidian inlaid cuffs and they flared with red light. Haku could have howled with frustration; days of hard work had just been obliterated. The spells were repaired and reinforced. The spirit sighed and patted Haku on the head as if he was a naughty child. Haku winced and pulled away from him.

"I will have someone sent to dress that wound," said the spirit quietly. He almost sounded as if he was angry at Haku's treatment. "And I will have food brought immediately." Haku yearned to know why he was being treated with such civility. The spirit stood.

"So what did you tell your mate, Haku?" he asked with a sly smile. Again Haku remained silent though he had to bite his tongue; he burned to hurl abuse at the insidious spirit. He was not blinded by the amenable façade. This spirit was dangerous.

"I imagine you warned her to stay safe," the spirit said, as if bored. "You have much to learn about humans, young dragon." The spirit laughed again. "You really think one such as her will be content to stay at home and await your return?" He leant forward, the dark braid falling over his left shoulder. "They are short lived creatures, Kohaku and they lack patience because of that. They also lie very easily." Haku knew he was being goaded. He imbedded a fang in the inside of his cheek to stop himself speaking. The spirit raised his eyebrows.

"You disbelieve me?" he said lightly. "Very well; I will show you." He gestured to the wall and an ornate mirror appeared with a silver clouded surface and a gold work frame. As Haku watched, the mirror cleared. He was shown an image of a train and he immediately recognised his mate. He could only see the back of her head, as she was looking out of the window. There were others on the train; Rin slept across from her and there was a tall red headed man sitting at her feet, arms folded and in deep discussion with Linca who sat on his opposite side. At the back of the train by the baggage was the nygel, looking ridiculously fluffy now he was dry, and very uncomfortable being on the train.

"If she told you she was going to be the dutiful little mate and stay at home, Kohaku, then she lied to you," sneered the spirit. "You claim to love her. If that is so, how could you not know that she would come for you?"

Haku was enraged for a split second, but the emotion soon died and was replaced by worry. His little one was stubborn; she had been even as a child. Of course she would come for him, just as he would for her. He found himself smiling despite the worry that clenched his heart.

"I fail to see the humour in all this," said the spirit crisply. "You must know I intend to stop her if she attempts to gain you back, or impedes me in any way."

Haku knew. Of course he did; that was why he was terrified for his mate, but in an odd way he was proud too. She knew the odds were against her but she was coming after him anyway. Maybe this was all part of the prophecy and she was taking a stand against the dangerous spirit before him, despite all he had done to try and derail her, even before she knew what her purpose was. Haku knew he was here as a way to try and weaken his mate. He wondered why the spirit feared her so; what could a human do that the spirit felt he had to try and break her before she even lifted a hand against him? It did not matter; Haku could not protect her; he had to trust that she would not be stupid and take too many risks.

"She's made you soft, dragon," said the spirit, watching the calm expression settle on Haku's sharp face.

"_Probably,"_ thought Haku ruefully. Getting nothing from his captive, the spirit turned to leave and the mirror on the wall vanished.

"Who are you?" asked Haku to his back. The spirit turned and looked at his prisoner, grey eyes amused but cold. Haku cursed himself for speaking but the question was obvious enough and risked nothing.

"I have had many names," said the spirit blandly. "But most recently I have been called Kenshin." Haku's heart stilled.

"I thought you were dead," he hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"Not yet," said the spirit, with a small, joyless smile. The door slammed shut and the bolts rattled home.

"I'm in trouble," muttered Haku. "And Chihiro is in even more trouble."

How could his mate possibly pit herself against one so powerful? Haku resigned himself to having to save her and with a heavy heart started to tug at the spells that held him once more.

* * *

"This sucks," muttered Scott, lifting his sodden boot out of the mud. "Literally."

"Take your shoes off then," sighed Rin. Scott eyed the spirit sceptically.

"Ever heard of leaches?" he asked, slightly sarcastically.

The party had got off the train on one of the platforms that did not quite exist in the spirit world. They were frequented by the shadow spirits but to Chihiro's relief this one was empty. There were rumours that there had been a mass exodus of shadow spirits even before the battle for the bathhouse. Something was calling them away from their traditional haunts. The shadow spirits were an enigma even in the spirit world; they rarely spoke to outsiders and their laws, customs and even god were alien to everyone else in the spirit world.

They were heading roughly south to meet the person who had prophesised about Chihiro and her mission; the Old Man of Arron.

They were walking through a flooded part of the plain. Blue grass grew under the water and under that was thick mud. The spirits and water horse splashed lightly through the water. The two humans were soon bogged down in the mire. Scott's combat trousers were covered in grey mud to the knees and Chihiro was worse off, having fallen twice. She pulled at her stuck right leg and left her boot behind in the mud. She cursed and kicked at the water. Linca gracefully skipped through the shallows and retrieved the boot, which was more a lump of grey mud.

"You know, if we keep going at this rate, it will be a month before we get to this old man we have to see," she said reasonably.

"I know that!" snapped Chihiro snatching her boot back. "But what else can we do? We are not gifted with the ability to make ourselves lighter like you."

"Well, I would suggest that one of you ride on old Sniffy over there" said Linca, gesturing over her shoulder in the nygel's direction. "But that would still leave one of you stuck in the mud."

"That's Snaffu, sprite," snorted the nygel indignantly. Both he and Linca had taken an instant dislike to one another. Linca had already twice "accidentally" fallen over and used Snaffu's tail to pull herself back up, making the water spirit snap at her. Of course he retaliated and "accidentally" stepped on Linca's toes. Chihiro had let Rin handle them, being far too preoccupied with her slow progress through the sucking mud. Rin had set about them both with the flat of one of her many knives and now the malice between the two spirits was confined to hateful looks.

"Snaffu can't carry two people," Chihiro sighed. "And I should not ride anyway."

"Why?" asked Linca, helping Chihiro put her slimy boot back on.

"Because she is pregnant, Linca," said Scott, dragging himself up to stand beside the two women. All three spirits looked perplexed.

"Is this one of those weird human reproduction things?" asked Rin, with a frown. "If it is, I don't want to know. I still can't comprehend how you bleed for five days and don't die." Chihiro grinned. It had been the first time she had smiled since seeing Haku. She had not told the others of her visitation; it was private. She had, however, told them that they had to seek out the Old Man of Arron as soon as they could. For a spirit it would be a four day journey. It looked like the humans were already slowing things down.

"Because I carry my child inside me, the motion of a horse can make me miscarry. It's a very slight risk, but with this not being a normal pregnancy, I don't think I should take chances. I think I should only ride you for short spells, Snaffu," she said to the water horse with a sigh.

"Oh," said Linca, her face serious. "I had no idea that it was so fragile. I mean it's inside you; I thought that it was as safe as it got?" Chihiro shrugged and gave Scott a knowing look. He got the message; he had all the same sort of questions and misunderstandings to look forward to. There was no subject too personal or awkward that the spirits were not desperate to learn about. It was flattering in a way; Chihiro was doing her best to learn about them, it was nice they wanted to meet her half way, but it could be very frustrating at times.

"I am not a normal horse," whinnied the Nygel. "You would move less on me than you would when you are walking, mistress! I've had human women ride me before while pregnant; they never came to any harm." He trotted forward, splashing the humans.

"Back foul creature!" hissed Linca. "You're coming nowhere near my sister!"

"Sister!" snorted the Nygel, laying his ears back. "Your blood and my mistress's are not even the same temperature!"

"Enough," growled Scott, his low voice rumbling like a small thunder storm. The entire party stared at him. The placid human normally said very little, so to hear him actually raise his voice grabbed everyone's attention. "Bickering between ourselves is pointless."

Chihiro sighed, very glad she had a large, even tempered human on this quest with her to balance out all the volatile spirits. The tall, redheaded man shifted his weight so he could keep his sliding feet together.

"We have problems that need solving. First, we need to find dry land to camp on tonight, and second, it's stupid that we humans who are mired down are still carrying our own baggage. You spirits are going to have to carry a bit more," Scott said calmly.

"Do I look like a pack mule?" Rin snapped.

"No," Scott countered, "you look like a very strong, able woman who could easily help out a pair of struggling humans."

"Oh, that was good," muttered Chihiro out the side of her mouth. "You're catching on fast." A small smile pulled at Scott's lips but otherwise he kept his face straight.

He slipped the pack from his back and held it out to the spirit woman. Rin's face was a picture. The normally hard brown eyes had softened at the sly compliment but her lips were still pressed together with displeasure at being asked to carry more than her fair share. But it seemed Scott was much craftier than he had ever let on.

"It's a 60 pound pack," he said evenly. "If you can't handle it then I'm sure Snaffu…"

Rin splashed up to him and slipped one strap from her own pack. She grabbed Scott's pack and slipped it over her free shoulder. A quick spell later, the packs bound themselves together across her back. She flicked her long hair over the top of them and gave the tall human a defiant look. Linca and Chihiro were trying desperately not to laugh; how Scott could keep his face so serious Chihiro did not know, but there was a twinkle in his blue eyes that told her that he was close to bursting out laughing. Rin practically skipped away, just to show that she was not weighed down at all by a mere 60 pounds. Giggling silently, Linca reached for Chihiro's pack.

"I'll take that!" Snaffu whinnied, and pulled at the pack with his teeth, lifting Chihiro out of the mud. She hung from her pack, eyes closed, waiting to be put back down. Linca was about ready to burst with rage and her white eyes began to swirl with black.

"I have a better task for you, Snaffu," said Scott quickly. "One much more suited to your many talents." The horse carefully put Chihiro back down. Chihiro handed her pack to the still fuming Linca.

"We need to find somewhere dry to spend the night," explained Scott, bending down to the water horse's eye level. You're the fastest of us and this terrain is no problem for you. I'd like you to be our Scout. It's important Chihiro gets her rest and that means somewhere dry." The horse nickered and snorted in agreement. Scott patted the spirit's neck, treating the dangerous creature as if it was a normal pony.

"I always liked Scottish people," it said, tossing its head and baring its flat teeth. Chihiro knew there was a pair of very sharp retractable fangs hidden in that mouth. Nygels had razor sharp claws too; there was a slight bulge on each fetlock that contained a six inch claw. Very useful for ripping more meaty prey limb from limb.

"I bet we taste wonderful," agreed Scott, beating the creature to the punch line. The horse whinnied with laughter and pranced sideways. Then it was galloping away, kicking up spray as it went.

"I hate that nag," muttered Linca.

"You're just sore that he scared you half to death," chuckled Rin.

"The threat of a messy death on our first meeting does tend to make me dislike him," said Linca.

"Lets get going," said Scott. "Hopefully we will find somewhere before dark."

"We'd better," murmured Rin. "The big things come out to play after dark; a fire will make them keep away but I would not like to be still travelling after sunset."

It was a sobering statement as it was midday already. The humans pushed on, lighter and with renewed vigour. They both knew that they were useless in the dark.

* * *

**Note- A short little linking chapter, more to come soon as I am on holiday ;-) but this was the best place to stop for now. **

**Couple of points. Riding while pregnant really can make a woman miscarry or induce labour if the ride is rough and lengthy - just in case you thought I made that one up. A Nag is an old term for an old or useless horse, though it comes from the old English nagge which meant small horse. You learn something new every day. Arran is an island off the Scottish west coast, but that's not were my prophet's name comes from. He's actually mentioned in an obscure 80's pop song called "the riddle." Sad but true, the lyrics just got me thinking. (Always a bad thing.) **


	20. MUD

MUD…

Snaffu returned just before sunset. "I found a place!" he whinnied. "Not far from here, but you will have to hurry, there is a storm coming."

Linca looked at the clear, slightly purple sky. "You're talking rubbish!" she scoffed. The nygal flattened his ears and bared his teeth at the sprite.

"Actually, Linca," panted Chihiro, struggling to wade between them, "as far as predicting bad weather goes, I am inclined to believe Snaffu. He is a water spirit, after all." Snaffu snorted and tossed his head and eyed Linca balefully.

"Will you ride me now, mistress?" asked the nygal politely. "I can take you the distance and then come back for the tasty Scotsman."

"You hear that?" said Scott to Rin, who was pulling him out of another sucking mud hole. "Snaffu thinks I'm tasty."

"I would be questioning Snaffu's taste in food," grunted Rin as she pulled at Scott's hand.

The large young man was yanked from the mud with a wet slurp, but Rin had been a little heavy handed. His momentum carried him forward and he crashed into his rescuer. Rin squeaked and she was knocked backwards into the mud and a large human fell on top of her.

"Ahh! Get off me, you clumsy fool!" she screeched, beating on Scott's back with her fists. Scott was laughing so hard he could not have moved even if he wanted to. Linca rolled her eyes and went to peel her friend off the top of her sister. Scott struggled to his feet with Linca's help, apologising to Rin between chuckles that shook his entire frame. Rin looked down at herself; she was covered in grey mud. It even matted her hair. She kicked her legs in the air and sprang to her feet. Chihiro sighed. No matter how much Rin's lessons had improved her fitness, she knew she would never be that agile.

"You giggle like a drunken air spirit!" snapped Rin, glaring at the still laughing Scott.

Scott tried to straighten his face but Linca had been infected by his laughter. When he stopped, she snorted and burst into her own fit of giggles. This started the poor human off again. Rin's dark eyes regarded them both icily.

"You're cackling like harpies!" she growled. "I should cut your tongues out!"

Chihiro shook her head. She was too tired for this. She patted the water horse's flank and murmured that she would gladly accept a ride. The creature graciously bent down for her and she swung onto its back.

"I can hold you in place," it whinnied kindly.

"Thank you," Chihiro sighed.

"OI!" said Linca, noticing what was going on. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to find a place to spend the night," Chihiro said without energy. "You three can continue annoying each other without me. Snafu will come back for Scott." Before there were any protests, the water horse galloped away. Chihiro nearly swallowed her tongue in surprise. The creature was unbelievingly fast; her hair streamed behind her as its hooves ate away at the ground. The creature had been right, she hardly moved at all. Tears began to tumble from her eyes.

"_Not again!" _she wailed internally. But she could not help herself. The feel of the wind in her face and the strong muscles moving beneath her reminded her strongly of what it was like to ride her white dragon. Would she ever ride the skies with him again? _"Of course I will!"_ she told herself firmly. She let the wind dry her tears from her face. She did not want to show the others her sadness; they were doing enough for her as it was.

The water horse galloped for the best part of an hour, never tiring, never needing to take a break. Finally, Chihiro saw what he had found for them in the last dying rays of sunlight. There was a small hill rising out of the mud. It had willow trees growing on it and it was quite firm. Snaffu slowed to a trot and then a walk. Chihiro slid from him. The horse was covered in foamy sweat and look like he needed a good rub down and a night in a stall with a blanket over him. The nygal must have seen Chihiro's concern.

"I'm alright, mistress," he said with a cheerful horsy grin. "I'm just not used to being so active out of water. I'm not tired." Chihiro patted his side thankfully. The horse snorted, wheeled around and galloped away. She scrambled up the hill. It was quite flat on top. She wished she had her pack with her; she could have started a fire. It was almost completely dark. For the wont of anything better to do, she sat with her back to one of the large willows. She blinked against the darkness. Her hand found its way into her mud encrusted trousers and her fingers stroked something that felt like silk. She took the braded hair of her mate from her pocket along with the small bottle of water from his river. Even in the low light the hair still flashed with dull green highlights. She stroked it absently as she inspected the vial of water. It was still clear. The river might be suffering, but it was as healthy as it could be under the circumstances. There was a shuffling to her left; to her right, a twig snapped.

Even a few months before, the thought of being alone in the dark with unknown things surrounding her would have terrified Chihiro. Now, after all that had happened, she knew that little else as traumatic as having her mate ripped from her was likely. Whoever it was would have attacked her immediately if they were truly dangerous, or hungry enough to want to eat her. They would also not be making noise if they did not wish her to know they were there. She slipped the bottle into her pocket and continued to stroke her mate's hair with her right hand. With her left hand she pulled out her Tac'Tal. The noises stilled immediately. It would be immediately obvious to any denizen of the spirit world that she was protected by a formidably powerful entity. Chihiro felt it was time for introductions; luckily Haku had schooled her well in such things. She could hear his lilting voice echoing in her head.

"Be careful around those outside the bath house. Never give your first name; it can give a spirit a modicum of control over you if they know what they are doing. Be polite always and always have your Tac'Tal on display."

"What so they can see I'm owned?" Chihiro remembered saying sarcastically.

"Precisely," he had purred in her in her ear, pulling her close, running his hands down her back. "They will know my power protects you. Even if I am not there, the spells in my gift will be a force to be reckoned with if they use magic."

"And what if they just try to hit me with blunt instruments?" she had asked, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"If you're polite it won't get to that stage," he chuckled. "Most spirits will take one look at my gift and want to play nice."

"And if they don't?" she had murmured into the soft skin of his neck.

"Then I suggest you run for it," he laughed, unpinning her hair and running his fingers through it.

"Run for it?" she had squeaked stepping back from him. "Some mate you are! I could be in real trouble one day and your advice is for me is 'run away'? Might I remind you that as a human I don't tend to move that fast and-"

He had stopped her tirade with a soft kiss that stole her breath. "Trust me," he said, his green eyes dancing. "Be nice and be anonymous and you will come to no harm under normal circumstances."

"If you say so," she had sighed, not really caring anymore.

"Fool!" Chihiro thought to herself. "I should have pressed him for more information." But neither of them had expected to be alone so soon after their mating. "Except I'm not alone," Chihiro grumbled internally, directing that particular thought to her stomach.

"I come here requiring shelter," she said out loud. "There are more on the way. I require nothing from you, only a place to take refuge from the beasts of the marshland." There were low, barely audible whispers from among the trees. "We don't plan to stay for free, however," said Chihiro, thinking on her feet. "We will share our food with you." There were more low whispers. Chihiro thought she saw a flash of yellow eyes and red fur, but she could have been mistaken as there was so little light.

"Could be fox spirits," she thought.

Fox spirits were well known pranksters; they liked nothing better than to fool human kind. Most of their tricks were harmless but there were cases of them being deadly. There was more rustling, then there was singing; voices raised in a high, floating melody which seeped into Chihiro's mind. Everything was fine, she might have a heavy heart but she was safe here, she should rest… yes stay here, rest and listen to the song. The Tac' Tal at her neck flared and grew hot. She ignored it; the beautiful song was so soothing. Chihiro listened and let her eyes slide closed. Nothing mattered, she was safe. There was movement beside her, but it did not matter. A small fury hand tickled her neck, intending to take her Tac' Tal. Why should they not have it? Surely the little foxes of this island deserved such a thing? Smiling, Chihiro waited for the little creatures to take what they wanted. The Tac' Tal had other ideas, however. There was a flash, and the little thieves jumped back with inhuman yelps. Spell broken, Chihiro struggled to her feet.

"How dare you!" she yelled into the gloom. "After everything I did to be respectful to you!" Mocking laughter echoed from the trees.

"Fine!" snapped Chihiro. "Have it your own way!" She stalked off the island and stood in the sucking mud once more. Shivering, she folded her arms. It started to rain, soaking her hair and running down the back of her neck. The mud around her legs deepened. She tried to move only to discover she was hopelessly stuck. There was more laughter from the island. Chihiro wondered if Snaffu liked fox flesh. She was given the opportunity to find out as she heard rapid hoof beats in the distance. The Nygel sprayed her with mud as he skidded to a halt.

"Mistress!" he whinnied in surprise.

"Chihiro?" said Scott's voice. She could hardly see his silhouette in the darkness. There was a splashing sound. "OWW!" grumbled the red headed young man. "I've not been on a horse since the summer. I'm going to be walking like a duck for the next day or so." Chihiro smiled; she was saddle sore herself.

"You'll harden up," whinnied the Nygel with a horsy grin. The spirit shook himself like a dog, showering Scott with water and mud.

"Why are you standing out here?" asked Scott, wiping his face. Chihiro could just see his red hair in the gloom.

"The island has inhabitants," she said. "I think they are fox spirits and they are light fingered."

"They are no problem mistress," said the nygel, laying his ears flat.

"Before you chase them off…" sighed Chihiro. "Could you pull me out of this mud?"

The nygel obligingly gripped her by the collar and Scott pulled her up by the waist. Chihiro squeaked as her sodden travelling slacks slipped down her legs and remained in the mud. The nygel dropped her and she landed at Scott's feet in her underwear. Chihiro looked up at the dark outline of the young man and burst into tears.

"Hey now!" Scott cried. "No need to cry! All our packs are wrapped in plastic and covered in spells for good measure. You have dry things to change into; just wait for Rin and Linca to get here."

"It's hopeless!" Chihiro cried at the sky. "Why did I think I could do this? I'm just a stupid, insignificant human. What can I possibly do that will make the slightest-"

"Shut up, Chihiro," snapped Scott. He bent down and pulled her to her feet. "You can do this," he said firmly, his face inches from hers. "Do you think I would have come if I thought you would not achieve what you set out to do?"

Chihiro gulped and shivered. This close to him she could feel the heat from his body against her bare legs and smell that strange masculine smell that all men of a certain age seemed to carry. It made her heart pound for her mate and the tears poured from her eyes all the more. She had been warned that this forced separation would be hard, but she never guessed it would be this hard.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" growled Scott.

"Don't speak to Mistress Chihiro that way!" snorted the nygel indignantly. There was more mocking laughter from the island.

"Make yourself useful and do something about them," said Scott to the water horse. "The sooner we get her on to that island, the sooner we can make her comfortable."

The nygel stamped his hooves and clearly was contemplating charging the insolent human.

"Are you forgetting she is pregnant?" asked Scott lightly. "I doubt the father would be very pleased if he ever heard you were neglecting her." Scott's words had the desired affect. The nygel rolled his eyes a little then he galloped onto the small hill. There were high pitched shrieks as the fox spirits ran for their lives. Chihiro closed her eyes, not wanting to listen.

"I'm sure your crisis of confidence will be over as soon as you are dry and fed," sighed Scott, taking her chilled hand and patting it. He frowned as he felt the mating scar under his fingers.

"I was hurt you did not think to invite me to the ceremony," he said suddenly, his voice warm in the darkness. "No matter what I hoped would happen between us, I was your friend. I even got deported from Japan for helping you out."

Chihiro swallowed the lump in her throat. She had been so cruel to him and not realised it at all.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly. "I never intended any of this. I was selfish."

"I know why you were," sighed Scott. "I know what it is like to be so in love that it consumes you."

"You do?" asked Chihiro, curious in spite of herself.

"Yes, I do," said Scott, chuckling at her surprised tone. "But for me it did not last. I ended up coming to Japan to get away from my memories of her. It's never nice getting dumped and she was my first love so I took it particularly badly. You could say I was on the rebound when I met you."

"Ah," said Chihiro. His instant attraction to her seemed to make much more sense; that, and Linca's forceful matchmaking. She had probably thought she was doing them both a favour.

"But I do believe you will be successful in your mission, Chihiro," said Scott firmly. "Any woman who can bust herself out of a psychiatric hospital can get her mate back easily." Chihiro gave a watery chuckle.

"Besides, if you were just a 'stupid insignificant human,' your dragon would not have chosen you. You owe it to the little dragonlet you're carrying to get him back."

"Dragonlet?" laughed Chihiro.

"It's better than calling it 'it.'" said Scott, the smile evident in his voice.

"All clear!" whinnied the Nygel.

"Come on," said Scott. "I've got enough in my pack to keep us dry. As soon as Linca gets here we can get a fire going. She says she has a gift with it; goes with her temperament I suppose."

The humans waded through the mud and scrambled onto the hill. Scott removed a tarpaulin sheet from his pack and stretched it taut between two trees, using bungee cords. He spread plastic sheeting beneath it and he and Chihiro sat beneath the tarpaulin. The drumming of the rain above her lulled Chihiro into an uneasy doze. The next thing she knew, she was being shaken gently awake.

"Chihiro?" whispered Scott. She opened her eyes. She was sleeping on his shoulder.

"Chihiro, your sisters are here."

Chihiro blinked owlishly. In the rain just outside the shelter Rin and Linca stood. Rin had her arms folded and her full lips were pulled down at the corners in a disapproving frown. Linca was unsuccessfully covering a huge grin behind her hand. Chihiro knew what she must look like, lying up against Scott with her mud encrusted bare legs and mud stained cotton panties on full display.

"Grow up, you two," she croaked. "The mud stole my clothes." Suddenly a thought struck her.

"HAKU'S HAIR!" she gasped. She struggled to her knees.

"You stay still," said Rin, her expression now much more sympathetic. "I'll find it. You can't see in the dark." She unloaded her packs and traipsed away.

"But what if the fox spirits took it?" wailed Chihiro.

"That's unlikely," said Linca, unloading her pack and scraping together soaking wet twigs and leaves with her delicate, pale blue hands. "Horseface has eaten most of them, I think. He's run off into the bog to hunt the last of them." She muttered a spell and the twigs exploded with blue flame. "I don't know where he gets the energy from," she said quietly. "He's covered twice the distance we have today and I'm exhausted."

"Was that a compliment for him?" asked Scott.

"No," replied Linca. "Merely an observation."

The fire grew and expanded, giving off large amounts of heat.

"I demand appreciation," said Linca pompously. "Few spirits of my level can create a spirit fire." Scott and Chihiro looked at each other.

"What's a spirit fire?" they both asked. Linca tutted and tossed her head, making ribbons of soaking white hair stick to her face.

"It's a fire that only needs minimal fuel, produces a lot of heat and water cannot put out."

"That is impressive," said Scott. Linca grinned at him, the blue flames dancing in her white eyes. She busied herself with putting up another shelter, opposite Scott's and Chihiro's. When she was finished she shook the water from her hair and beckoned to Chihiro.

"Come in here with me, Chi. I'll get you dry and dressed." Chihiro shivered as she crawled out into the driving rain again and dashed under Linca's shelter. Linca rummaged in Chihiro's pack and produced a pair of pink bathhouse domestic slacks.

"You can roll them up above the knee to keep them out of the mud," said Linca with a small smile. She gave Chihiro some clean underwear too.

"Turn around, Scott," she called across the small camp. Scott obligingly did, facing the back of his shelter.

"You know it's so dark I can't see you anyway," he said mildly.

Linca laughed and helped Chihiro strip off her wet clothes. Soon she was dressed in a warm shirt and her bath house pants. Linca brushed out her matted hair for her and braided it back. Rin returned, even muddier than she had been previously.

"Let it not be said that I don't love you," she said grumpily. She pushed the lock of Haku's hair into Chihiro's hand and the small bottle of river water she had not even realised she had lost.

"Keep them in your underwear or something," instructed Rin. "They are not likely to get lost again that way."

"Thank you so much," said Chihiro in a small voice and stood to hug her sister.

"Get back under there," snapped Rin and pushed Chihiro back under the tarpaulin. "If you catch a cold you'll slow us up."

Crestfallen, Chihiro ducked under the tarpaulin.

"Don't take it personally," said Rin more gently. "You have to look after yourself."

Chihiro considered sticking her tongue out at her sister but her stomach took that moment to growl embarrassingly.

"Good point," said Rin. "What's for food?"

Scott threw a packet at her. Rin caught it and inspected its contents.

"What's this?" she asked. "It looks like shells."

"It's pasta," said Scott. "It's quite good, fills you up."

"Oh, it sounds rather exotic," said Rin slightly sarcastically. "Thank you, Mulvey-san."

"Actually, Rin," interrupted Linca, "that should be Mulvey-sama. Scott is a Lord, you know."

"Stop it Linca," growled Scott.

"You are?" asked Rin, clearly surprised. "You don't look like one." Scott burst out laughing. Rin's attention returned to the packet of pasta. She opened it and gingerly selected a shell. Before anyone could stop her she popped it into her mouth.

"Mmm, crunchy," she said thoughtfully. "But a bit dry." The entire camp exploded with laughter.

Snaffu returned to find a very sulky Rin stirring a pot of boiling pasta over a blue fire. The two humans and Linca were still giggling.

"No food for me," he announced. "I'm stuffed." He collapsed by the fire. Chihiro noted that is belly did indeed look quite distended.

"Glutton," scoffed Linca. Neither Scott nor the spirits seemed to be uncomfortable with the fact the Nygel had eaten the fox spirits. Chihiro felt a little sad, however. They had not hurt her; they had just behaved as it was in their nature to behave. But this was the spirit world and it could be cruel and even bloodthirsty at times. Just like her own world could be. It was just violence seemed far more acceptable here. It was a day to day fact of life. The weak preyed on the strong and that was just the way things were. They ate pasta with a little oil and salt on it. It was filling if not all that tasty. After their meal the party discussed their situation.

"At this rate it will take us weeks to get out of the mud," sighed Rin. She was sitting in Scott's shelter and was not that happy about it. She displayed her displeasure by sitting as far away from him as possible.

"Well, does anyone have any ideas how we can go faster?" asked Scott. The nygel's ears twitched.

"I could carry two, but I would have to rest frequently."

"In which case we would probably end up going the same speed," muttered Linca. She scratched her head and pulled a face. "If we had a high level magic user they could have whipped up a long distance transportation spell and we would be talking to the nutty old gent who started all this nonsense by now."

"That is hardly helpful, Linca," said Chihiro flatly.

"We will just have to do the best we can," said Scott. "Time may be against us but it can't be helped."

There was a small cough and everyone's eyes turned towards the sound. Chihiro's hand fell to her pack. She could almost feel Haku's sword vibrate with the anticipation of being used. She saw Scott do the same; she knew he had his own blade. Rin was already holding two knives.

"Show yourself!" she demanded.

Something shuffled into the fire light. It was small; very small.

"A child?" whispered Rin.

Chihiro looked at the child; he was a chubby and adorable toddler who looked about two or three years of age. He had a shock of midnight black hair and wide, serious, violet eyes. He was dressed in what looked like fluffy blue pyjamas. It was still raining heavily but the child did not appear to be getting wet.

"Kisho?" said Chihiro uncertainly. The child beamed. He did not have all his teeth in yet, Chihiro noted.

"Auntie," he said with a gurgle.

Rin and Linca immediately bowed.

"Huh?" said Scott, eyeing Rin as if she had gone insane.

"Err, this is the child of the Lord and Lady, Scott," explained Chihiro. "You have already met the mother."

"Oh," said Scott, understanding. Violet eyes fixed on him.

"You have hair like Papa," said the child with approval. Scott seemed to be at a loss for what to say. He found his voice at last.

"I thought he was only a few months old?" he asked Chihiro. "He was born at your mating, wasn't he?"

The child shrugged and wobbled over to Chihiro. He clambered into her lap.

"He is a child of gods," whispered Linca, still facing the ground. "Show some respect!"

Kisho however seemed more interested in sucking his thumb and playing with Chihiro's Tac'Tal. The pendant did not react to the child's touch.

"Emm, Kisho," said Chihiro gently. "Why are you here?"

"To see you," said the child around his thumb.

"Does your mother know you are here?" asked Chihiro carefully, hugging the child to her.

"No," replied Kisho. And she does not need to."

"Okay," said Chihiro slowly. She jumped as the child's hand found its way under her shirt and rested on her stomach.

"What are you doing?" asked Chihiro as steadily as she could.

"Oh, poor thing," sighed Kisho. He looked up at Chihiro, his violet eyes sad. "She's worried about you."

"She?" said Chihiro weakly.

"She knows you're sad and she misses her Papa's voice." Before Chihiro could dissolve into tears, Linca sat up and slipped an arm around her shoulders.

"At least we know what colour to paint the nursery now," she said with a small smile. Chihiro shook her head, water filling her eyes.

"Can't do any of that till we get Haku back," she whispered.

"I have a present for you," announced Kisho, now talking to Chihiro's stomach. "I know you get tired from riding."

"I do my best, my Lord," said the nygel. Kisho ignored him.

He closed his striking eyes and grunted with effort. A matt black lump of material appeared in his hands. He held it up for Chihiro's inspection. Rin and Linca gasped.

"Yubaba's flying cloak!" squeaked Linca. "She had that locked in a magically sealed safe; not even Haku could break it open!" Kisho shrugged and grinned.

"It will be easier for her if you fly, auntie. You have a spirit with you who can teach you the art." He pointed at Linca and the sprite bowed again. "Be careful how much you use it," warned the child. "Best if you share it with the other slow human. One day on the horsy, one day in the air. It will speed things up for you all and not tire your baby out."

Chihiro did not know what to say. She settled for simply hugging the child.

"My lord!" said Rin, still with her head bowed. "You are too good to us."

"Just don't tell Mama I was here," said the child. "There are rules; I'm bending them to help auntie Chihiro get uncle Haku back." There was a small pop and Chihiro's arms were empty.

"Well," said Linca. "I guess its flying lessons all round tomorrow."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N hands up who thought I would not keep my promise? Of course I was going to update! Hope you all have a good holiday!


	21. The flying lesson

**_The flying lesson._**

Chihiro apprehensively ran the flying cloak through her fingers. It was like watered silk.

"I'm not sure I want to do this," she said for the third time.

"Oh, it's easy," cried Linca. "Don't worry about it, you'll love it; if this is done properly you'll end up with a true bird form. That idiot Yubaba was so tied to earthly things she could not let her form go and let her spirit soar." Linca frowned with disapproval. "Flying around with that head poking above the cloak must have ruined the aerodynamics; I'm surprised she had any lift at all," she said disdainfully.

"Probably used extra spells," muttered Rin. "Used to terrify me when I saw that black shape heading for the bath house. She was usually in a foul mood after she visited the counting house or the traders and she took it out on the staff."

Chihiro smiled; Haku could be a little bit stressed when he came back from the traders too. Of course all it took was a kiss and a few whispered promises in his ear and he rapidly got over his vexation.

"So Chihiro is going to turn into a bird?" asked Scott, who was rubbing down the nygel with handfuls of leaves.

"Eventually, yes," said Linca. "Which species do you think she will be?" asked the sprite, with a glint in her eye.

"Goose," said Rin with a chuckle.

"Good flyer," murmured Linca, taking the wind out of Rin's sails.

"How about a bird of prey?" asked Scott. "Like a kestrel."

"Manoeuvrable and can hover," said Linca thoughtfully. "But not so good over long distances."

"A swan," snorted the nygel.

"We will need water and a running start if she turns into one of those," laughed Linca. "But a strong flyer. I'm personally going to go with something smaller," she said, eyeing Chihiro up and down. "A small song bird or a pigeon."

"Pigeon?" said Chihiro indignantly. "Great, you think I'm going to turn into a sky rat."

"They are not that bad," said Linca defensively. "It's not their fault that humans bred them for racing and now they are totally dependant on humans for their survival."

Chihiro rolled her eyes; Linca loved birds of all descriptions. She even enjoyed looking after the bath house chickens, though she had no qualms about slaughtering and eating them either.

"So how do I do this?" asked Chihiro, flicking out the cloak.

"Wrap it around you and wait; it will feel a bit strange but it won't hurt."

Chihiro nodded and slipped the hooded cloak over her. The most extraordinary sensation filled her body. The world got a lot bigger and her watching companions grew to giant proportions. She tingled all over; her arms grew and her legs shortened. It was painless but it made her feel a little sick. Her gait changed; she had a lot more weight before her. Her eyes allowed her to see behind her as well as in front of her. She got dizzy and sat down, fluffing out her breast feathers indignantly.

Linca laughed. The sound was loud and set Chihiro's heart pounding. She wanted to fly away from the sound but she was unsure how. Linca bent towards her, but Chihiro stood and scampered between her legs. She was terrified. Part of her knew that Linca was her sister, the rest of her was acting on instinct; she had to run and hide from the scary things that might hurt her.

"What's wrong with her?" asked Rin in a concerned voice.

"She's just a little bird brained, that's all," said Linca with a small smile. "She'll learn to deal with it. Stand still and let her calm down."

Everyone fell silent, making sure they made no sudden movements. Chihiro's heart began to beat less rapidly. There was a bush to her left; she could hide in it if they moved. She felt a little safer.

"Chihiro," said Linca in a very low whisper. "It's alright, Chi, the fear subsides. You take on the instincts when you change. That's why Kisho told you to change only every other day. If you fly too much you will permanently change into a bird."

Very slowly Linca crouched down, facing Chihiro.

"When you are ready, come over to me," she said in a whisper. It took Chihiro a good ten minutes before she plucked up the courage to hop towards Linca. At least she was steady on her clawed feet now. She hopped onto the spirit's outstretched hand. Linca slowly stood.

"There, my little dove," said Linca softly. "Not quite so scary now, is it?"

Chihiro tried to reply, but instead she cooed. Her eyes widened; she could not speak.

"Wait for me to change, then I will be able to talk to you," Linca said to her. "And might I say, you are a beautiful example of a collar necked dove. A good all rounder, doves; fast, manoeuvrable and can go long distances. You may out-fly me with practice."

"Err, how long is this going to take?" asked Rin, glancing at the sky. "It's already mid-morning."

"Not long," replied Linca. "She will know what to do once she gets up; she just needs an example to follow."

Linca held out her hand towards Rin. Chihiro gripped Linca's thumb tightly; the ground looked a long way down already.

"Hop onto Rin for a moment, Chi; use your wings to get a bit of lift."

Chihiro braced herself and jumped, flapping her wings furiously. She was almost too successful and nearly missed Rin's shoulder.

"Oww," Rin complained. "Your claws are sharp." Chihiro selected a hair and pulled at it with her neat little beak by way of an answer. There was a flash and a large snowy owl was perched on a root on the ground.

"Ahh, that's better," it hooted. "I sometimes feel like this is my true form."

Chihiro was relieved. She could understand Linca perfectly. Chihiro hopped off Rin's shoulders and fluttered to the ground. She landed lightly and cooed happily at her small achievement.

"Yes, very good," hooted Linca. "Now come here and I'll explain some of the basics." Chihiro hopped over and was dwarfed by the large white bird. She was not at all afraid now. She was herself, not the bird she had changed into.

"Don't worry," Linca squawked. "I'm not hungry." She winked one huge yellow eye.

Rin and Scott stared at the two birds baffled by the stream of hoots and coos that were coming from them.

"Are they… talking?" asked Scott.

"I assume so," sighed Rin. "Best leave them to it. Let's gather the packs. Can you carry a couple as well as this lump of a human, Snaffu?" The nygel whinnied an affirmative.

"I'll be slow but I can do it; two humans would be heavier," he said with a horsy grin and a swish of his tail.

Scott tied two of the smaller packs to the nygel's flanks like panniers. The water horse could hold them in place with the same magic he used to hold his human victims to his back when he dunked them. Rin strapped the two heavier packs to her back and Scott mounted the small horse. His feet nearly touched the ground, but the nygel was not a normal horse and he could carry the tall human easily. Scott wiggled on the horse's back.

"I still hurt from yesterday," he complained.

"It's your turn to fly tomorrow," said Rin with a grin. "Your rear can get a rest then." Her grin broadened at the unsure look on his face. "I wonder what kind of bird you will be?" she mused holding her head on one side.

"Probably a duck, knowing my luck," laughed Scott. Rin laughed with him.

"We are heading off," she announced to the birds at her feet. "When you two finally get into the air you can scout ahead for us; find the shortest way out of this swamp. Snaffu will be keeping pace with me so he does not tire himself out. Remember we need a good camp site before sunset."

Linca looked up and snapped her beak at the tall spirit woman. Rin took this as a goodbye. She broke into a trot and Snaffu matched her pace. They hopped lightly over the surface of the swamp, barely even splashing themselves.

Chihiro thought she understood most of what Linca had told her; the primary and secondary feathers provided lift and her alular feathers on the tips of her wings helped with direction.

"Let's have a try shall we?" said Linca with an excited hoot. "Remember, big jump and big downward flap to get the lift; your wing tips should almost touch the ground. Then small sharp flaps to gain height. Once you are up, the rest should come. The air will tell your wings how to move. You're not a chick; you don't have flight muscles to build up. They are all there. By the end of the day you will be an expert."

Without another word, Linca flapped her wings and gracefully took off. The breeze ruffled Chihiro's feathers. She cooed uncertainly and jumped. She put as much effort as she could into her first flap. She shot upwards; she was so surprised she nearly fell out of the air. But she recovered and snapped her wings. She fought against the uncooperative air currents and rose slowly.

"Use the air, Chi," hooted Linca. "Let it flow over your wings and make small adjustments."

Chihiro relaxed and discovered Linca was quite right; she glided a little and she did not plummet back to the ground as she expected. A thermal buffeted her upwards, she cooed, startled. Linca flew above her, cutting through the air and letting Chihiro fly in the more gentle air she left in her wake.

"You're flapping too much, glide more or you will exhaust yourself by mid day," warned Linca.

Chihiro took the sprite's advice, within an hour of reasonably continuous flight she was attuned to every breeze that blew over her. Just like a skilled sailor would keep adjusting their sails to tack against the wind efficiently, Chihiro continually adjusted her wings to compensate for the ever changing air. She flew differently from Linca. Linca was built for silent attacks and gliding over icy waste lands. Chihiro had a smaller, more streamlined body and she knew that with practice she could out-manoeuvre the larger bird. But she would not get ahead of herself, she was content to hold back and fly behind her sister.

They passed Rin, Scott and the nygel. Rin was running lightly over the marsh and the nygel was cantering to match her pace. Linca gave an obnoxious hoot. Scott and Rin waved and the nygel whinnied. Chihiro could almost see the edge of the mire. Linca decided it would be a good idea to circle around and guide those on foot, showing them the quickest way out of the mud.

Flying in short bursts was actually harder. Flapping a few hundred meters ahead of the pedestrians, finding a perch and waiting a few minutes for them to catch up, only to take off again was draining. At mid day, Rin and her party decided it was best to eat on the run. Scott tied a nose bag over Snaffu's face. It was full of dried fish that Snaffu had thoughtfully brought along himself. Scott and Rin chewed on dried meat and some hard bread. Scott had the bright idea to crumble some bread up for Chihiro. She landed on his fingers while he rode the nygel and pecked at the crumbs on his palm; she was ravenous.

"Are we nearly out of here?" Scott asked her. Chihiro cooed and bobbed her head in an affirmative. "Good," he sighed. "Better find us a camp site as soon as we get to firm ground."

Chihiro dipped her head again. She took a sip of water from Scott's canteen and joined Linca in the sky again. The spirits did not really need to eat; eating gave them strength but it was not entirely necessary for them. Linca could comfortably wait till they made camp, as much as Rin tried to convince her to eat a little dried meat. The sprite turned her beak up at it. Owls hunted, she informed Chihiro; she wanted something warm and wriggling if she ate in this form. Rin scoffed at the owl, who was ignoring her, but could not argue with Linca when she could not speak to her. Chihiro drew alongside the owl, matching her speed.

"No doubt I'll hear about this later," Linca sighed.

"Rin's just making sure you don't tire," pointed out Chihiro.

"I know that," hooted the owl. "But she should trust me to know my own body." She squawked as if laughing. "Besides owls have this habit of vomiting up the stuff they can't digest. I don't want everyone to see me pass a pellet; it's disgusting even for me!"

They covered three times the distance they had the previous day. When they arrived at a small copse of trees on the edge of the marsh they stopped for the night. The birds landed on the ground when Rin and the others arrived. Chihiro felt like she just wanted to find a good branch, tuck her head under her wing and roost.

"Change back," Linca told her firmly.

"How?" Chihiro asked.

"Just think about your human form and the cloak will release you," explained Linca.

Chihiro closed her eyes and pictured herself in her mind. She had long chestnut hair, unusual for a Japanese native. She had large brown eyes and her skin was also slightly lighter than the normal Asian tone. There was western blood in her mother's family and it seemed to be still showing itself a few generations later. Her face was rounded, her cheeks were full, she had average breasts; she was flat chested compared to Linca, though Haku had never complained. She had a slight curve to her stomach; it was not going to stay that way for long. Chihiro hoped fervently that as she was a small person that her daughter would not grow too large. She had dark, curly hair between her legs and well toned thighs, the result of hours of Rin's combat training. Her calves were firm and her feet were ugly as far as she was concerned; calloused and rough, though she did have a high instep. Her arms were a little on the thin side, making her elbows look knobbly. Her hands were small but delicate and she had short, well trimmed nails

"Are you going to open your eyes now?" asked Linca. Chihiro's eyes flew open. The sprite stood before her, back in her primary form, her white hair gleamed in the rays of the setting sun and her white pupil-less eyes danced with amusement.

Chihiro looked down at herself. She was back, and to her relief, clothed. She had pictured herself naked and only when she opened her eyes thought the cloak may return her to her human form nude. The flying cloak was in her hands. She carefully folded it up and laid it at her feet. She rolled her shoulders; they ached.

"Wow," she exclaimed at last. "That was amazing."

"Told you that you would like it," laughed Linca. Chihiro smiled.

"I'm convinced," said Scott behind her. "I want my turn tomorrow even if I do end up as a duck."

"I don't think you would be a duck Mulvey-Sama," said Rin almost overly sweetly, lowering her backpacks to the ground and whipping the mud splashes from her clothes.

"Oh no?" said Scott lightly, obviously expecting sarcasm to follow. Rin smiled up at him, pleased to prove him wrong.

"No," she replied. "I think you're going to be an eagle."

Scott frowned, as if thinking he must have misunderstood Rin's meaning. He ran the sentence back in his head and could find no hidden meaning in her words at all. He raised an eyebrow; he though he had possibly just been complemented by the prickly spirit.

"Well," he said quietly. "We will see if you are right tomorrow."

* * *

**_a/n_** Whew, January has been a hectic month but I still managed to write this. Last of the travelling chapters for now, but we have to have them kiddies it would be a bit stupid if they just suddenly arrived places ;-) besides it gives me ample opportunity to develop my characters. (Ok only two are mine but meh.) More as soon as I can write it. 

Have some more scummy fan art to share. Aja2ws has outdone herself with a number of Scott, Chi, Haku pics and a couple of Linca too. Check out her gallery at http :// aja2ws. deviantart. com/ gallery / (remove the spaces.) They are really good! I'm always so flattered when people draw things for me. I really should get my own deviantart account so I can comment on these things. Will be adding them to my lj profile when I get a moment.


	22. Looking and Watching

**_Looking and Watching_**

As it turned out, Rin was quite close in her guess. The next day when Scott donned the flying cloak, he turned into a bird Chihiro had never seen before. It was reddish brown in colour, with a lighter, speckled breast. The bird also had a wicked raptor bill, strong talons and fiery yellow eyes. It looked like a small eagle but it had a long forked tail. Linca clapped her hands.

"A red kite!" she enthused. "Very rare and a beautiful flyer!"

Rin stared. "I was right," she chuckled. "He would have to be a bird of prey." Scott screeched at her and ruffled his rust coloured wings.

"Enough of that," said Linca firmly. "Or I will have to teach you to preen as well as fly." She turned to Chihiro and Rin. "Off you go then. We will lead the way. There is a forest up ahead; we better watch out for some of the larger spirits that like the shady places."

"They won't bother us," said Rin confidently. "Nygels don't take kindly to being assaulted. If Chihiro wears her katana, the dragon magic in it will shout her status. What other human would have the right to wear such a sword? And if they are too stupid to know what that means…" A dagger jumped into Rin's hand from nowhere. She twirled it, catching the morning light on the shiny blade.

"Where did that come from?" asked Chihiro.

"Never you mind," said Rin with a knowing grin.

Chihiro extracted the sword from her pack and strapped it around her waist. It grumbled at her apparent lack of action; she should be slaying her enemies by now. It could also sense another magical sword nearby and was not that happy about strange old magic it was not familiar with being so near. It was a revelation for Chihiro; she had not known that the sword in Scott's pack was magical. She wondered where he had got it from. She mounted Snaffu and Rin jogged away.

"Don't you want to have a go at flying?" asked Chihiro when Snaffu caught up with the nimble spirit.

"No," replied Rin. "There is no way my feet are leaving the ground."

Chihiro laughed, she had felt the same when Haku had started to fly her places while still in his human looking form. There was a joyful shriek and a red kite streaked over Rin's head, ruffling her hair.

"Show off," Rin called after the bird, but there was a small smile on her face. Chihiro was surprised; she had thought Rin would have disliked the cheerful, laid back young man, especially as he had fallen on top of her a few days ago. But Rin appeared to have become quite tolerant toward him.

Their camp the night before had been almost harmonious, though Rin still seemed uncomfortable about sleeping so close to Scott. Linca had offered to "spend the night with him," as she put it, but Rin had refused. Scott was very understanding about it all. He curled his large frame up under the far end of the tarpaulin with his back to the spirit woman, wishing her sweet dreams. Rin obviously appreciated the gentle treatment.

The trees closed over them. They were massive rainforest hardwood trees, dripping with lianas. It got warm under the leafy canopy, then hot. The humidity increased and Chihiro began to sweat. The spirit world was strange; where else would you come from a cold marsh and half a day later be in a tropical forest? Linca's white owl form was almost dazzling against the background of muted browns and greens as she glided through the trees. At a clearing, Chihiro looked up to see a tiny speck in the azure blue sky. Scott was obviously using his bird of prey vision to scout ahead much more effectively than she and Linca had managed the previous day. Chihiro felt her dowdy dove form had been a little outclassed. When sundown came, Scott and Linca returned. Scott was still enthused by the joys of flying.

"You can see everything up there! I can see a huge canyon just on the horizon. We should be there in tomorrow."

"So you like it?" asked Rin.

"Like it?" cried Scott. "If opposable thumbs were not so useful, I'd be a bird permanently."

"Oh," said Rin with a small secretive smile. "That would be a shame, you're bird brained enough as it is." Scott laughed easily.

Tired as he was, Scott showed them how to convert the tarpaulins and plastic sheets into hammocks with little rain proof covers.

"Why hammocks?" asked Linca.

"It's a tropical forest, there are all sorts of creepy crawlies about at night. It's better if we don't sleep on the ground," explained Scott. "Unless spirits don't get insect bites?"

"We do, but not as many as you sweeter blooded humans," sighed the spirit mournfully.

Chihiro thought it was an excellent idea; she had been bitten in several places already. Scott rummaged in his pack and threw a bottle of insect repellent to her.

"You did prepare for everything," Chihiro muttered, spraying on the noxious smelling chemicals liberally over her exposed skin.

"That's why you chose me, wasn't it?" said Scott, his tone a little brittle.

"Not the only reason," said Chihiro, passing the bottle back to him. "I wanted another human with me in this. I love my sisters but they can be a bit too spirity at times." Scott chuckled, knowing what she meant.

Rin snatched the repellent bottle from him.

"And what exactly do you mean by "spirity"?" she queried in a less than pleased tone.

"Well…" Chihiro murmured. "You just don't consider certain things. You don't understand how we work."

"I do!" said Rin spraying herself and sneezing as she inhaled the fumes.

"Rin," said Chihiro firmly. "I had to tell you everything about humans, from periods to chocolate."

"Don't the two go together?" asked Scott, still chuckling, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. "Besides, I thought you wanted me here because I was a man."

"Huh?" said all three sisters in unison.

Scott put on his best regal expression and spoke in his best upper class voice to attain maximum patronisation.

"All you helpless females needed a firm, guiding hand. You needed a strong man to do things for you so you don't end up breaking a nail."

"I'm not female!" protested Snaffu, feeling a little left out of the banter.

The females in question were all glaring at the young man, too tired to take his words in the way he had intended them.

"Looks like I'm sleeping with Snaffu tonight," said Scott easily, not taking offence at the murderous looks directed at him. Linca was first to forgive him. She threw her arms around Chihiro and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sleeping with Chi, she's more squashy than the rest of you, and as she gets fatter she'll get even more squashy."

Chihiro glowered at her.

"I hope I get bad morning sickness and throw up all over you," she spat.

"Oh, I forgot about that," chortled Linca. "I'm so looking forward to holding your hair out of your face while you vomit your breakfast."

"Hopefully I'll have Haku back by then and you'll be spared that duty," said Chihiro tiredly.

She swung herself into her hammock and sighed. She blamed her hormones for her recent mood swings. That and the yawning gap the loss of her mate had made in her. It was getting harder to sleep restfully. She had been told there would be repercussions for binding herself so tightly to him. The loneliness was starting to get to her.

Linca looked at the Chihiro shaped lump in the hammock.

"Good job I did not joke about it being strong enough to hold us both," muttered the sprite under her breath.

"You should not joke at all," growled Rin. "You have no idea what it feels like to be ripped from your mate."

"And you do?" asked the sprite.

"Yes I do!" snapped Rin. "Don't ask me how but I do!"

"Stop arguing and go to bed," Chihiro's voice sighed from the hammock.

Rin spun on her heel and leapt gracefully into her hammock. Scott gave Linca a hard look. She poked her blue tongue out at him and flounced over to Chihiro.

She slipped into the hammock and the fabric adjusted and stretched around her small form. She snuggled up to the still irritated human and pillowed her head on her shoulder.

"You know you love me really," she murmured.

"Hush!" Chihiro whispered. She was listening to the conversation at the other hammock.

"Err, can you move over a little," Scott's voice rumbled in the twilight. There was a swish of fabric moving against fabric. "I won't be able to turn my back to you either, the tarpaulin will suffocate me," he added.

Rin tutted but did not say anything. The ropes sighed as the large human's weight pulled them taut. There was a shifting and scuffling. Chihiro could just imagine the pair trying to get comfortable without gaining an intimate knowledge of each other's anatomy. She bit her lip trying not to laugh. Linca was grinning gleefully.

"It's alright for you," she whispered. "You're well past the awkward stage with your dragon. You've forgotten how embarrassing it is to be shoved up close to a member of the opposite sex that you don't have carnal knowledge of."

"It never bothered you," yawned Chihiro.

"I'm without shame, that's why," retorted Linca. "But we both know how straight laced Rin is."

"Then why doesn't she let someone else sleep with him?" sighed Chihiro, letting her eyes slide closed.

"Because she likes him," said Linca, with a mischievous lilt to her voice.

"You're imagining things," murmured Chihiro sleepily. She felt herself starting to drift; she hoped she would sleep well and not waken before dawn again.

As was now her nightly ritual, she took hold of the Tac' Tal at her throat and brought the pendant to her face. She touched the warm obsidian mirror to her lips.

"_Goodnight, Haku,"_ she thought. She hoped he would have a restful night too.

"Don't I get to give him a kiss?" asked Linca cheekily. Chihiro pulled the Tac' Tal round her neck and the sprite touched her light blue lips to the pendant.

"Goodnight, brother," she whispered seriously. "Rest well and keep your strength up."

Chihiro smiled at her sister. Despite appearances, she knew Linca missed Haku terribly, as did Rin. She drifted closer to sleep, looking forward to using the flying cloak in the morning. As smooth as riding Snaffu was, her undercarriage and thighs ached terribly from being on his back all day.

"_Suppose I better get used to pain down there,"_ she thought bitterly. _"I'm going to be pregnant for over a year."_

She rested her hand on her still smooth abdomen and smiled into the darkness.

"_No offence, little dragonlet, but you could have picked a better time." _

She slept soundly, for once.

* * *

Haku woke with a start. He blinked, and slowly the dimly lit cell came into focus. He was still a prisoner, but his circumstances had improved greatly. He was completely healed for one thing; Kenshin had done it himself a week ago. His hands were now free and he was shackled by a thick bracket around his waist. There was plenty of slack chain, so he could get up and move around, though he could not reach the door. It was frustrating; he was sure he could break it down, but he was still restrained with obsidian inlaid chains. Even if he broke the door down he could not get free, his power was still safely locked away by the spells in the obsidian.

He also had water. Haku had nearly clawed the glass bottle from the silent shadow spirit that offered it to him. He downed it thirstily, opening his parched throat and letting the life giving water flow into him without even swallowing. He only ever had had one experience in his long life that came close the complete ecstasy of relieving his burning thirst. Such thoughts were not fit to have around a possibly telepathic spirit. Those moments were private, not for onlookers to see. He had run his tongue around the neck of the bottle, seeking more of the delicious wetness. The shadow spirit had taken the bottle off him. To his shame, Haku had whimpered like a child but he quickly turned the sound into a growl of warning.

The shadow spirit did not react at all. It took the bottle between its almost transparent hand like appendages and the bottle glowed. When the glow faded the bottle had been refilled with fresh clear water. The spirit handed the bottle back to the dragon who hastily downed it again. When a third bottle was offered Haku had slaked his thirst enough to be able to talk without his voice rasping.

"Why?" he asked the spirit. "Why are you treating me like this?"

"We have been reprimanded," the spirit sighed. Haku was genuinely surprised. He had not expected an answer. "Our master was not aware of the condition we kept you in. You are to eat and drink your fill every day."

Haku frowned to himself in the dim cell. Since then he had eaten fish every day, a neat trick in the middle of a desert, and drank as much water has he pleased. He guessed he was averaging about 15 bottles during the searing heat of the day. At night it was considerably cooler so he only drank one or two. Being dehydrated would not kill him, but he was a water spirit, he needed to have water. If he didn't it was very uncomfortable, like an itch he couldn't scratch that would slowly drive him mad over time. In the dry air he needed to drink regularly. Clearly his kidnapper knew that and was providing for him. Haku was suspicious, however; he was much less of a threat while weak and hurt. Kenshin was keeping his strength up for a reason.

Haku's thoughts returned to the dream that had woken him up. It had been a nice dream… at first. He had been in the hot spring, water bubbling and steaming around him. The tension drained out of him. Every worry and concern that he had had vanished. As if that was not good enough, his mate had slipped in beside him snuggling up to him with a sigh. She was very naked, he noted. The warm soft body pressed against him stirred his desire for her. Normally he could tell through the bond between them if she was in an accepting mood or not. It made their love life very amicable indeed; there was no guess work involved. Of course she was still female and still human. Often her voice would tell him one thing and he would know she was thinking another. He liked it when she was in one of those moods. It made coaxing her into bed all the more satisfying. However, he could feel nothing from his mate, there was no warm loving presence filling his mind, no stray thoughts to listen to. He realised he was dreaming. He was disappointed but he would enjoy the dream while it lasted.

He slipped an arm around her and lifted her onto his lap. She laughed, looking up at him coyly through her dark eyelashes. Haku groaned, he could not help it.

"I miss you so much," he whispered. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She giggled again and touched her lips lightly to his. He sighed, closed his eyes and kissed her back, but she pulled away long before he was finished with her. He growled in protest.

"Oh shut up and stop complaining, lizard," said a voice that was not his mate's.

Haku's eyes snapped open. His mate was no longer sitting on his lap; it was Linca. Haku stared. She was also very naked and her white eyes looked cross.

"What are you looking at, pervert?" she spat.

"What are you doing here?" he barked. "Get out of my dream!"

Linca crossed her arms over her generous breasts and gave him a scathing look.

"I'm not thrilled to be here either," she retorted. "This is your dream, you could at least clothe me!" Haku blinked at her. He must still have concussion if he was dreaming such strange things.

"It's the bond, Haku," she sighed, seeing he did not understand. "No matter what spell is keeping you imprisoned, the bond still remains. Chihiro would know if you died, just like you would know if she died. Also she still wears the Tac' Tal. The combination is allowing you brief moments of contact with each other."

"I know that," he said carefully to the nude sprite, endeavouring to keep his eyes on her face. "But why are you here?"

"I'm sleeping next to her," shrugged the sprite. "I must have got sucked in somehow. Being a magical creature I have a bit longer with you. It's unfair, but there you go." She peered into his face. "Where are you?" she asked.

"A desert, that's all I know," he replied. "You have to take Chihiro home, Linca," he pleaded. "It's not safe for her to be roaming the spirit world looking for me."

"She is your mate," said Linca gently. "It is her place to avenge you."

"But she is human! She can't possibly help me," he hissed.

"Why?" Linca asked, cocking her head, sending damp, shimmering tresses snaking over her shoulders.

Haku gave up; he could see there was no reasoning with her. He lent back against the side of the pool and glared at her, waiting for her to wriggle off his lap. A small smile crept over her blue lips and he realised she had no intention of leaving yet.

"Sorry, this is too good an opportunity to miss," she said sounding very unapologetic.

She slipped into the water, fully submerging. It took Haku a moment to guess what she was looking at.

Realisation dawned on him and his temper flared. She had no right to be looking! The sprite really was too much at times. If he was not technically related to her he would have banished her from the bathhouse by now. He put his hand into the water and grabbed her by a handful of white hair, yanking her out of the water. Linca was laughing hysterically.

"I should call you big brother from now on!" she giggled. "Chihiro is a lucky girl!" Haku swore at her.

"Get out of my head!" he snapped.

"I'm going," she chuckled. "I think I'm waking up."

"Good," he snarled.

She stopped laughing and looked serious for a moment.

"We are going to see the old man of Arron," she announced. "He'll tell us the prophecy Chihiro is cursed with and we will come after you then."

Haku did not want them to come; he wanted to keep them all out of harm's way. He was a god and yet he was helpless; what chance did they have? But he could not stop them. His little one had lied to him once already; he did not want her to have to lie to him again.

"My captor is called Kenshin," he said stiffly. Linca frowned.

"I've never heard of him," she whispered.

"You're too young," said Haku simply.

"I'm 472 years old!" Linca cried, clearly insulted. She shook herself free of his grasp and leered at him.

"I know something you don't know, big brother," she taunted in a husky voice.

"I don't care," he growled.

"You will," she laughed. "Your river went mad about it. Just wait till you connect with it again."

Haku sighed. He missed his river almost as much as his mate. Even if he was free, the connection between them had been severed. He would have to have physical contact with it to bond with it again.

Without his mate and his river for a prolonged period, he would truly go insane. Spirits had been known to kill themselves after such losses. But he had hope; he did not think his mate could help him, but he would get himself free. No one was infallible; Kenshin and Yubaba would make a mistake at some point and then he could rip their throats out. Smiling at that happy thought, he looked back to the sprite, only to realise she had gone.

"I never did find out what got the river so excited," he thought gloomily.

As annoying as Linca was, he had been glad to see her, though he would have preferred more time with his mate. If Linca remembered her dream on waking he hoped she was tactful enough not to mention her state of undress. His little one could get quite possessive at times. Not that he wasn't himself; the mating season had been proof of that.

The door rattled and he looked up.

The familiar figure of Kenshin walked through the door. The tall spirit smiled at Haku but as always the smile did not touch the granite hard eyes.

"You are looking better," said the spirit's low voice. "Much more like yourself."

Haku ignored him, he was not about to thank his captor for better treatment.

"Vocal communication marks us as higher spirits, Kohaku," said the black haired spirit with a smirk. "We do not merely communicate with our own kind, we can speak to all spirits, high and low, even humans if we so choose."

Haku narrowed his eyes at the spirit. "Air spirits talk too much," he said flatly. Kenshin laughed and shrugged.

"Perhaps we do," he said, still smiling. "But water spirits have a tendency towards cutting themselves off from the wider spirit world."

He crouched down and looked over Haku from head to toe. Haku repressed a shudder, the spirit was not just looking with his eyes.

"I believe that before your little human came along you were much more the silent type." Kenshin shook his head, his black hair glowed slightly blue in the morning light arcing down from the small window, but did not shine. "Amazing the change one insignificant human has instigated in you," he said incredulously.

"If she was insignificant I would not be held here!" Haku snarled, wrinkling his nose up and bearing his teeth.

"Peace, dragon," said Kenshin, his face serious. "I have no wish to undo any of the healing I have performed in order to teach you manners."

Haku knew he meant every word and reigned in his temper. The only hope of escape he had was if he was in full health so that he could take advantage of an opportunity that may come his way.

Kenshin nodded with approval, making Haku want to tear his throat out. The spirit stood but Haku remained seated.

"I did not come here to taunt you, Kohaku. I am not Yubaba; I take no joy in others' misfortune." He rolled his shoulders and sighed. The dark circles under the spirit's eyes and his demeanour of exhaustion was suddenly apparent to Haku. He wondered what could be draining the powerful spirit. The grey eyes regarded him coolly.

"I came here to ask if you wished to see how your Chihiro was getting along…"

The spirit left the statement hanging. Haku found himself nodding vigorously before he could stop himself. Kenshin smirked, knowing he had Haku's undivided attention.

He gestured to the wall and the gold-work mirror appeared again. The silver swirling surface cleared and focused on a blue sky. It zoomed in on a small grey bird. Haku's eyes widened. It was his mate; he would know her in any form. The dove was being followed by a snowy owl. Haku wondered if Linca really had been in his dream or if she had just been a figment of his tired, lonely mind.

"Interesting," murmured Kenshin thoughtfully. "Yubaba thought her flying cloak was safely locked away." He rubbed his chin with a long fingered pale hand. "This smacks of divine intervention."

Haku felt a growl rumble up from his throat.

"Yes," said Kenshin sympathetically. "They are using her for their own ends." He smiled at the mirror. "Good," he muttered. "That means they fear me."

"The old ones fear no one," hissed Haku.

The grey eyes turned on him and flashed with annoyance.

"They fear me," said Kenshin coldly. "And with good reason."

Haku frowned, his mind seized on the flicker of emotion he saw in those normally dead eyes. Kenshin hated the old ones. He must be challenging them in some way, and using a vast amount of his own power to do it. The grey eyes turned icy once more and the ancient anger was frozen. Kenshin turned back to the mirror. The birds were flying over a vast fissure in the land. It was like a large scar in the otherwise green, forested plain. A primeval battle had ended by one force opening the ground under the feet of the other.

The canyon ran for well over a thousand kilometres and was over five thousand metres deep and a thousand metres wide. The sun did not reach the bottom even when directly overhead, thus the canyon was filled with blackness. It was said that there were shadow spirit cities in the blackness, protected from the sun. The sun would not harm a shadow spirit, but they were nocturnal by nature. The sun robbed them of their excellent vision and could dehydrate them.

Kenshin smiled as he watched the two birds circle above the night filled chasm.

"So, she goes to learn her fate," he muttered. "Very clever, little dove, but what will you do when you know the truth?"

"What are you talking about?" snapped Haku, not likening the softness in the spirit's voice when he spoke to Chihiro's image.

"Fate," replied the spirit. "Be still, dragon; I know what she will hear, but this will be of great interest to you." He regarded Haku coolly and raised a black eyebrow. "You wish to learn the prophecy, do you not?" he asked haughtily.

Haku ground his teeth and nodded, though it made his blood boil to do so.

"Good," said Kenshin. "You are not as half-witted as I feared."

Haku's eyes widened. It was quite possibly the first time a spirit outside of his close acquaintance dared insult him. He reached for his power to teach the infuriating spirit a lesson, but found himself grasping at nothingness. He could not even feel his power anymore; it was securely sealed from him. He swallowed and stamped on his rage. This was no time for his ego to get in the way. He concentrated on the mirror and watched the birds fly to figures waiting for them at the side of the canyon.

One he recognised as Rin and the other was the ridiculously fluffy nygel. Mounted on the nygel's back was the red headed human he had caught a glimpse of the last time Kenshin had let him see Chihiro. He frowned at the mirror; the figure was almost familiar. Suddenly understanding hit him. He had seen that human before. That human had been the one who had delivered Chihiro to him, before she had promised to be his. He had gifted the human with an emerald to repay him for his kindness. It was only later that he discovered that the odd human had feelings for Chihiro.

He snarled angrily at the mirror. What was she doing picking him as a travelling companion? She was his; she had no right to associate herself with one who may still desire her. Not that he could blame the human, but that did little to ease his jealousy.

"Temper, temper, dragon!" laughed Kenshin. "What has enraged you so?" Kenshin's grey eyes followed Haku's glare.

"Oh I see!" he chuckled. "She travels with another male."

Haku tried to control himself but the animalistic part of him won over. A growl ripped through him when the small dove landed on the tall man's hand. The blue eyed man spoke to the bird and ran a finger over the ruffled feathers on her back.

Haku roared and jumped to his feet.

Kenshin sighed and snapped his fingers. Haku's legs suddenly refused to support him and he sank to the ground. He opened his mouth to protest but only a sigh came out.

"You will remain like that until you are calm," said Kenshin crisply. "You are not thinking clearly and you dishonour your mate by assuming the worst when you see her near another male." Kenshin gave him a scathing look. "It's a wonder she wants you back at all if you trust her so little."

Haku blinked. It was very strange to be reprimanded by his captor for such a thing. Nevertheless the air spirit's words rang true. Chihiro was on her way to claim him back; even the most subtle of seductions would have little chance of success. He did trust her, what he did not trust was other males. She was so beautiful and endearing, how could they not want her? He was not so much jealous of the red headed man, he was jealous of the time he was spending with his mate. His little one's life was so brief that even a few weeks of separation tore at Haku's heart. He should be the one stroking those feathers right now; he should be the one talking to her. A wave of hatred swept over him for his captor. Kenshin was robbing him of time with his mate. For that alone Haku wanted to kill him. His eyes turned back to the mirror. Kenshin touched the glass surface and suddenly there was sound.

"Now," said the spirit softly. "Let's see what your mate's fate is."

* * *

**HA HA! I bet you thought I wouldn't update again! For those of you who do not read my live journal I lost my notes for this story, so I had to go back and read everything I had done before so I could remember what I was going to write. There may end up being a few continuity errors because of this but I think I will be ok without them.**

**Also I have a new site for my fan art. Go to http // velf .deviantart .com / to see it in all it's glory. Daishar has done a wonderful picture of Haku all tied up, yum!**


	23. The Prophecy

**_The Prophecy_**

Chihiro landed on the ground and changed back into her human form. She stretched and grinned at Linca who had only just fluttered to the ground.

"Come on, Linca," she chuckled. "You're slowing us all down." The white owl snapped her beak at the human and changed. Light flashed and the owl turned into a formless shape that expanded upwards. When the light faded, Linca was standing with her arms folded and her white hair was slightly untidy after ruffling her feathers indignantly.

"I may be slower but I'm far more elegant in the air than you are!" she said huffily.

"I prefer substance over style," said Chihiro with a chuckle.

"Be quiet, you two," Rin snapped. "Stop arguing and get moving; we have a mad old spirit to find and the best way to do it is on foot."

"Some feet are faster than others," neighed the nygel. "Why don't I scout ahead?"

"Good idea," said Scott. He dismounted from the horse awkwardly, almost slithering down the spirit's flank. He stood uncomfortably and touched his toes, stretching the kinks out of his muscles.

"If I have to spend another day on horseback, I think I'm in danger of losing the ability to reproduce," groaned Scott as he brought his face to his knees. The nygel snorted with amusement and trotted away, kicking his heels up and swishing his tail. He suddenly accelerated and galloped away with a taunting whiny.

"Idiot," murmured Scott. He straightened and walked towards the edge of the canyon, placing his feet carefully. The sisters tried to keep their titters to a minimum but it was difficult. Even Rin could not keep the grin from her face. Scott ignored them and peered over the end of the canyon. He whistled, impressed. "So this is Yumulk Gap," he muttered.

"Home of the old man of Arron," confirmed Linca, standing beside him. Suddenly she broke into song. Her voice was throaty but strong and the canyon walls echoed the words back at her, creating a delayed stereo effect.

"By a tree, near a river, is a hole in the ground,

Where an old man of Arron walks around and around,

In his mind he is everywhere with no time or no night,

He cannot tell the difference twixt the wrong and the right."

"Great," muttered Rin to Chihiro. "Now everyone knows we are here."

Chihiro shrugged; it hardly mattered, they had made enough noise getting there to alert anything in the area that they were approaching. Suddenly Chihiro heard hoof beats again. The nygel came galloping back, nostrils flared, ears laid back against his head, eyes wide and rolling.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY," he squealed, still some distance from them. "GET OFF THE PATH!"

"Path?" whispered Linca. As one they looked at their feet. They were standing on hard packed earth that had a deep ridge running down the middle of it, exposing stone. Chihiro could see there were even marks in the stone. Something had scratched the rock with its passing.

"Run!" growled Scott.

He pushed Chihiro before him and headed for the jungle trees at a sprint, trusting the spirits to take care of themselves. Linca jumped back, reverting to her bird form in mid air. Rin sprang after the humans, easily overtaking them. She grabbed them both by the hands and pulled them after her. The nygel veered off the path and galloped through the trees to where the humans and spirit had hidden themselves.

"What is going on?" hissed Rin to the water horse. "You've scared us half to…"

"Hush and watch," panted the spirit, cutting her off. Rin looked affronted for a split second, lending yet more credence to Chihiro's theory that she had once been a person used to getting her own way; a spirit of importance. But the emotion was fleeting. She could see the water horse had practically run for its life; its flanks quivered and it wheezed and blew like a pair of bellows. Something had been chasing it.

Rin heard it first; a patter, a very regular, like the flutter of a small bird's frightened heart. The humans became aware of it soon after.

"Sounds like drumming rain," whispered Scott.

"It was hidden in a cloud of dust," wheezed the nygel, "and moving incredibly fast. I thought it best to warn you; it would have been on top of you before you knew it."

The water horse was right. The pattering got louder and louder. There was a whooshing sound and a dust cloud sped past the trees. The tailwind it created had all the trees swaying violently and the humans were knocked off their feet.

"What was that?" Rin whispered, bending to aid the humans. Chihiro got up and dusted herself off.

"No idea," she murmured.

"Hooo," said Linca, fluttering from a tree to rapidly change into her spirit form.

"That would be the old man of Arron," she said softly.

"Huh?" said Scott. "There is no way an old man could run that fast."

"You're thinking like a human," Rin scoffed. "Just because he is called an 'old man' does not mean he is a senile old sage sitting before a fire in a rocking chair and taking the odd ramble during the day." Scott raised a red eyebrow at her but did not comment.

"How do you know it was the old man of Arron?" asked Chihiro, not wanting to admit she had pictured a jovial old Zeniba-like spirit living in a warm cave somewhere.

"Think about the song," sighed Linca. "'By a tree, near a river, is a hole in the ground.

Where an old man of Arron walks around and around…' The path that dust cloud follows runs the entire circumference of the canyon."

"That is hardly walking," sneered Rin.

"Maybe he did walk it when the song was written," mused Linca. "He has just sped up over the years."

"So if it is him, how do we talk to him?" asked Scott. No one said anything. How could anyone possibly stop something so fast?

"We will have to use magic," said Chihiro in a small voice. "This is beyond Scott and I." She indicated to the three confused looking spirits. "You are the magical creatures, think of something."

"Easier said than done," murmured Linca. "Not even my glue spell could hold that back."

"Well, we better think of something by the next time he comes round," murmured the nygel. "He'll be back soon; moving around the canyon at that speed he will be back here in under an hour."

The spirits fell into a deep discussion that neither human understood. The positioning of ley lines came into it and they called on the local river spirit, who flowed close by, to ask for assistance. The river was old and sleepy but it told them that they were unlikely to get any sense out of the old man. He was quite insane.

"It happens," yawned the spirit, having taken the form of a small grey otter. "The ones blessed with insight often cannot cope. He has been a tool of the old ones for a long time. He does not have the wits to end his miserable existence."

Another complex conversation ensued and the spirits agreed on forming an "energy trap." From Chihiro's limited understanding, it was a spell that reflected a spirit's own power against it. It was unstable and inclined to shatter and it would use nearly all the three spirits' power up. But it was the only thing the river spirit had seen work.

"An air spirit threw an iso flax net over him once. Did not even stumble, but the idiotic spirit was still holding onto it. He was dragged around for about a week before he had the courage to let go. He fell into the gap. Never saw him come out," snorted the otter. "Energy trap or nothing," it yawned, exposing yellow canines. "Now if you will excuse me, I'm going fishing." The grey otter loped away.

The spirits set to work. Linca and Rin joined hands and the nygel pushed his flank against Rin's back.

"Can't you do better than that?" asked Rin. "It's not very stable contact for a spell like this."

"Would you prefer me to mount you?" asked the nygel wickedly. "It would certainly be a new experience for me."

Rin swore at the creature.

The spirits began to mutter a spell under their breath; it was short and repeated over and over. Chihiro explained to Scott that it was not what was said that mattered, it was the intent. The words merely concentrated the mind and helped the power flow freely.

"Ten times ten then ten again, reverse the power back, time and time again," murmured the spell casters for the seventeenth time.

"Well, they won't be winning any literary prizes," muttered Scott, wincing at the indelicate rhyme. When the words were chanted for the thirtieth time the ground glowed beneath the spirits' feet. The spell was cast.

But it had taken all the casters' strength. As one they all collapsed. The humans did the best they could for them. Linca and Rin were moved easily enough; Scott could carry them without Chihiro's aid. Both were unconscious. Rin was deathly pale, Linca could have been the same but it was hard to tell; she was always pale. Scott laid them beneath the trees and Chihiro covered them with blankets from the packs. Snaffu presented them with more of a problem. In the end Scott had to push him along the ground with the horse's head resting on his shoulder, while Chihiro tried to keep the hooves and unsheathed claws out of the way. The ground was uneven and it was hard work for both of the humans. They had barely got the insensible horse under the shelter of the trees when they heard the pattering noise again.

"Here it comes," whispered Chihiro unnecessarily. The humans turned to face the path, both knowing that whatever was trapped in the spell, they would have to face it alone. It would not be held for long. When the spell wore off they would be at its mercy.

"Get your weapon," said Scott grimly. "I'll get Phyllis."

"Phyllis?" she queried while dashing to her pack.

"My sword," said Scott, extracting a short European style broad sword from his pack. He did not bother strapping it on, he simply drew the blade and held it at his side, point down. It was not that ornate or impressive looking but Chihiro knew as soon as she touched Haku's sword that it was strong enough magically to have Haku's sword growling worriedly in her mind. It did not like the strange magic in the sword.

Chihiro freed the blade and held it to one side as Scott's was, safely way from her easily cut flesh. Scott was smirking at something.

"What?" asked Chihiro testily. The pattering was getting louder; it was no time for humour.

"Phyllis thinks that maybe your dragon was compensating for something, making such a sword. She said it's unnecessarily gaudy and likes bloodshed too much."

The sword screamed in Chihiro's head for vengeance for the slight against it and her mate.

"Oh, do be quiet," Chihiro said to all three entities. The truth was, she never had worked out why Haku made such a dangerous sword. He had probably been bored, or wanted a challenge. Ether way, it had not helped him avoid capture. The sword wailed like a scalded tom cat at the insult. It twitched in her hand.

"_Shut up!"_ Chihiro thought at it. _"Do as you are told or I will leave you behind."_ The sword snarled that she was unworthy of its master for thinking so about him. _"Just because I love him does not mean I can't see his faults,"_ Chihiro thought at the blade. _"He's vain and very arrogant, but I love him in spite of that."_ She turned to the increasing noise of the approaching spirit and smirked. _"I may even love him because of it. I find his defects almost endearing."_

Her attention was claimed by the whooshing sound of the approaching spirit. There was a blur of a dust cloud, a flash, then an inhuman wail.

When Chihiro's vision cleared, and the dust blew away on the afternoon breeze, she got a good look at what they had caught. There was a puddle of green on the ground and in it was stuck one bone-like leg. The other leg peddled at the air, still trying to run. There was no foot at the end of the leg, simply a blackened stump, as if the feet had been burned away.

"_They have,"_ Chihiro realised. _"With the friction."_

Even a spirit would be damaged by running constantly in a big circle. The legs were attached to a skeletal body with thin parchment like skin stretched over it. The old man of Arron was a pitiful creature. He wore no clothes and he had no body hair. His body quivered with the urge to be moving again. Sunken blue eyes turned on the humans. Chihiro felt like immediately bursting into tears as the lined face contorted and a wail ripped through the spirit's throat.

"Please," it begged, its voice barely making coherent words, as if it had not spoken for some time.

"Please, humans, let me pass…" It howled again, tugging at its trapped foot.

"We can't," said Scott," his face grave. "We need to know about a prophecy."

"NO!!" screeched the spirit. "NO NO NO!" It bent over and clawed at the ground, trying to pull itself out of the trap.

"Must run, must run," it panted. "The visions will catch me, can't stay still!" Chihiro and Scott looked at each other. This was nothing like they expected.

"MUST RUN!" the spirit howled, sobbing with fear. "The voices will find me; they stay quiet when I run!" Chihiro stepped forward, determined to try and free the spirit. Scott held his arm out before her. The sword clasped in his right hand was glowing slightly.

"Don't," he said softly.

"But he's suffering!" she protested.

"This is more important and you know it," whispered Scott, pinning her with his own blue eyes.

Chihiro bit her lip. He was right but she hated to see the poor tormented spirit writhe to be set free.

"Tell us a prophecy and we will set you free," said Scott softly. The old man of Arron sat, hugging his trapped leg. He began to rock back and forward.

"So many prophecies, so much to see, a pink sky, a landed fish, scattered brains, the world melts and grows, so many colours with no names, I try to count them but they run away."

"Scott!" pleaded Chihiro.

"We must know, Chihiro," he whispered. "It's not our fault he's insane."

"CHIHIRO!" the spirit screeched then laughed. "I've met her, she was nice, wanted to let me go but the big redheaded human would not let her until I told her what I had seen…" It giggled again. "She didn't like it, but the night wind and his prisoner were watching too, the white dragon had no clue…" He began to rock again and sing to himself in a high, unsteady voice.

"No clue, no clue, he had no clue."

"What dragon?" whispered Chihiro. She pushed past Scott and smacked the tip of her sword against a stone, making the blade ring loudly to get the spirit's attention.

"You know Haku?" she asked him insistently. "You said he was watching; is he close? Who has him?" The glazed blue eyes turned on her.

"The night wind and the white dragon were together, it ended badly, people died."

Chihiro blinked. He was making no sense. "What people?" she insisted.

"ALL PEOPLE!" shrieked the spirit loudly. "They all suffered and the end came and the darkness fell and there was light no more."

"Chihiro," said Scott's voice behind her. "Be more specific, his mind is not here, I think he is seeing… everything."

Chihiro looked at him sharply over her shoulder.

"Think of the song," he insisted. "It says his mind was everywhere, with no time… He is not here; he is seeing everything, past, present and future, all at the same time." Chihiro suddenly understood. She looked at the pitiful being sympathetically. _"No wonder he tries to run from his visions,"_ she thought sadly.

"Do you know who has my bonded mate, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi?" she asked as clearly as she could.

"The night wind; the ancient one," came the throaty reply. "The only tool the old ones have not bent to their will."

"And where are they?" she asked excitedly.

"They are everywhere; they watch, they peek; one likes to see, the other hungers for control."

Chihiro sighed and tried again. "Do you know where the night wind has imprisoned my mate, Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi?" she asked, her voice catching.

"You found him in the glass desert," came the reply. Chihiro sighed with the relief. That was all she really needed to know.

"You told a prophecy to the witch sisters Zeniba and Yubaba once," said Scott, still not willing to let the old spirit go until they knew the prophecy. "We need to know exactly what you told them."

"Pretty girls!" cried the spirit. "They watched the spell cast on me, the one that increased the voices… they did not like it… Zeniba cried…" The spirit turned to Chihiro. "Hello again," it said. "Are you nervous about your mating?"

"A little," said Chihiro, trying to keep his attention by playing along. "But I'd really like to know what you saw about me."

The spirit cocked its head. "Why didn't you say so?" it chortled, beaming at her. Its old gnarled hands shot out and grabbed her own. She had to drop her sword in case he touched it. The hands were as rough as sandpaper.

"Listen well," it sighed closing its eyes. The deranged spirit began to chant in a low, dead sounding voice.

"**A human will come to this world; her name will ring with a thousand blessings. **

**She will arrive twice, and if she remains she will set alight the ambitions of those who wish to gain the ultimate power through reunion. **

**Her heart and soul shall be captured by a creature of water, who, in return for her love, will offer his soul into her keeping. **

**The time will come when she is called upon to fulfil her destiny, though she will undertake it with a wounded heart. She, however, holds the hope of new life and happiness.**

**Our fate is bound with her own. She must keep apart what has been broken, ensuring our own survival. **

**Four shall start this endeavour, others will follow. One will fall by the way, called by a greater need. One shall find their true place and one shall make the greatest of sacrifices. **

**At the end of all, however, she will have to decide between her future and the future of a world that loathes her kind.**

**The options are numerous, the choices hard. If she can keep placing one foot before the other she will walk on through the haze, through which my insight grows dim. **

**She may shatter if she falters and things will change beyond all reckoning." **

Chihiro blinked and stared. "That's it?" she whispered.

The old man nodded and giggled.

"That tells me nothing," she whimpered. "I came all this way to learn a prophecy that is so cryptic that…"

The old spirit let go of her hands. "Time to go," he announced. He stood and yanked his foot from the trap. The magic hissed and dissolved. Chihiro and Scott blinked. The spirit could have freed himself the entire time.

"You needed to talk to me," the spirit said, as if it was obvious. "So I stayed." He beamed at Chihiro again. "Give the children a hug for me." With that he was gone, running away on his stumps. He gathered speed and soon a dust cloud hid him from view.

"Chihiro," said Scott softly. He bent down and offered his hand. She took it, still in a daze. "I don't think it's as enigmatic as it seems," he said encouragingly. "Let's wait for the others to wake up and then we can go through it a word at a time."

Chihiro nodded mutely.

"Look at it this way," said Scott brightly. "You know where your mate is."

Chihiro smiled. He was right; the insane spirit had given her that much. It gave her hope.

* * *

Haku stared at the gold framed mirror. That was it? What he had tried so desperately to find out? Why make something so convoluted so secret?

"I felt the same when I first heard it," said Kenshin with a dark laugh. "But on reflection and with certain assumptions most of it becomes clear." Haku raised an eyebrow at the black haired spirit.

"Work it out for yourself, Kohaku. You have time; it will be weeks before she gets here. Longer, if I have my way. I want my plan to be so advanced that it will make no difference whether she gets here or not."

"She will get here," growled Haku with pride. "She may be human but she has her own sort of power."

"I have no intention of underestimating her," sighed Kenshin. He waved at the mirror and it vanished. "I actually feel sorry for her." He looked up at the light illuminating the dust motes pouring in from the tiny window. "I know what it is like to be chosen by fate. I can empathise with how she feels…" He trailed off and after a moment of silence looked back at the dragon.

"That is why I have not killed her yet; I am not a cold blooded murderer. I plan to disrupt her, in what I hope will be non-lethal ways. I thought that would have happened when you fell into my lap." A small smile tugged at his lips. "But she proved to be a much more resilient soul than I gave her credit for." He shook himself and grinned at Haku. "Her companions, however, are fair game as far as I am concerned. I'm sure you will not mourn the loss of one of them."

Haku bit his tongue to prevent himself snarling like a mindless animal. The spirit was threatening his family, if not his mate directly. He had growled a little at the human male's comment on his sword, but he actually felt better now about him being in the party. He was helping Chihiro and trying to protect her. Haku could see the human did not have a hidden agenda. But he was only a human; he could only help her so much. Kenshin sighed and stretched, looking even more drained and tired than he had before.

Haku frowned; viewing from a distance was not that difficult for one such as him.

"I know what you are thinking," said Kenshin softly. "And I am about to answer you."

He snapped his fingers and the door to the cell opened. Two shadow spirits drifted in. They were holding a collar made of pure obsidian. Haku immediately did not like the look of it, even without being able to sense it. He tried to spring to his feet, but he could not move.

"Just a holding spell," said Kenshin soothingly. "I don't plan on harming you, but you are a resource that I can't afford to leave untapped."

Haku watched, wide-eyed, as the collar was clamped around his neck. For a moment nothing happened, then he felt it. An insidious spell inside the collar reached into him and latched onto his sealed power like a leach. Haku shuddered and gasped as little by little, his power was taken from him.

Now he knew why Kenshin had wanted him in full health. Kenshin shrugged and met Haku's furious gaze without even a hint of a flinch.

"I know you won't believe me," he said sadly. "But this is for the best. I need all the power I can get to achieve my goal."

"What goal?" hissed Haku from between his clenched teeth.

"I thought you would have guessed by now," said Kenshin patronisingly. "I plan on removing the old ones." Haku was stunned; his jaw dropped and he gaped at the spirit like a landed fish. Kenshin crouched down and looked at him closely.

"Think about it, Kohaku," he said softly. "They don't care for this world; they only care that they maintain their power. They are using your mate to stop me. They fear me and what I can do." Haku gulped and closed his mouth, still not quite believing what he was hearing. "The old man of Arron was a normal spirit with moderate seeing abilities until they decided to make him their tool," continued Kenshin. "They increased his gift so they had a link to all time periods. You saw what he has become. He is plagued so by what he sees that he has worn his own feet away by trying to run from his visions. They could set him free, but they don't because he is convenient." He moved closer, the grey eyes finally showing an emotion. They were burning with hatred.

"I was their tool too. I was always good at killing. They used me until they almost broke me. If I was captured, they abandoned me. If I got free they ordered me to do something else. I was a useful tool but not one they minded losing. I freed myself from them and they let me go, too fearful to challenge me, now I had turned against them."

"But they are gods," Haku breathed.

"So are you, technically. So am I." said Kenshin in a half whisper. "Anything that attracts worship becomes a deity. They would like you to think that they have always been, but they have not. They are guardians of this world, but they are not all powerful. They were once ordinary spirits, just like the ones who work for you."

Haku shook his head, not wanting to hear any more. It could not be true. The Lord and Lady were harsh, but they needed to be; they protected them all from the other world intruding on their own. How many spirits would have died without the separation from humans? Without that distance there would be no magical creatures left.

"Believe me or not; that is up to you," murmured Kenshin. "But I am going to remove the reason for their elevated status and you are going to help me do it." Kenshin straightened, his ancient grey eyes empty once again.

"You are young," he said softly. "You do not remember the way things were before the old ones separated the worlds. You just assume they did what was best for all. I put it to you that they did what was best for themselves…"

Haku shook his head again. This was madness, the most dangerous kind of madness. Madness that sounded like logic.

"You will kill us all," he murmured. "The humans too."

"No," replied Kenshin. "I will free us all." He turned to leave, ushering the shadow spirits out. But he turned back to Haku just as he stepped out of the door.

"You saw what the old ones have made the old man of Arron into. Do you think they will treat your mate any better?" he asked gently.

"You lie!" cried Haku. "It's all lies!" He was still shouting when Kenshin closed the cell door on him.

* * *

**Well, let it not be said I don't keep my promises ;-)**

**I have two new fanarts to show you all. One from Daishar illustrating this chapter, (she got an early peek at it) and one from a new contributor, Eds1, who has created a wonderful picture of Chihiro. Go to my deviantart site to see them.**

**http// velf .deviantart. com /**


	24. A Goddess's Confession

**_A Goddess's Confession_**

"Oww, my head" complained Linca. "I feel like I have a hangover and I've not had a hangover in two centuries." The white haired spirit was rubbing at her temples and squinting up at the moon.

"What are you talking about?" snapped Rin. "You drink more vodka than a parched nymph would drink water."

"I'm immune to it," sighed Linca. "I've had too much of a good thing. I got blind drunk for a whole two weeks after being set free from my second period of servitude. Not been able to get drunk since."

All three spirits had woken from their exhausted sleep. The nygel seemed unaffected by draining himself and had wondered away into the woods determined to fill his empty belly. Rin and Linca, however, had hideous headaches and only wanted to bicker.

"You never did tell me what you did to get a servant's sentence," groaned Rin, laying her delicate head on the ground once more. "And you must be fairly stupid to incur the penalty twice."

"That coming from the woman who begged Yubaba to take her memory from her and now wants to remember why," scoffed Linca. "I'd say out of the both of us you were the more stupid. Did it never occur to you to write the reason down somewhere before the name stealing?"

Rin squinted at the spirit and swore at her. Scott looked helplessly at Chihiro.

"Rin can't remember who or what she was before she worked at the bathhouse; she gave her memories to Yubaba willingly. Linca has had a very chequered past. A year and a day of servitude is a standard sentence for a spirit that steps out of line," she summarised for him.

Scott frowned at the spirits, as if seeing them in a whole new light.

"I don't regret my first servitude," said Linca with a hint of a smile. "I was caught in a compromising situation with the local spirit lord."

"You got a years' servitude for that?" squeaked Chihiro, making both spirits cover their ears. "You'd be permanently in servant's white if you got punished every time you dragged some poor unsuspecting male into bed with you."

"Not just males either," said Linca with a grin. "I recommend experimenting within your own gender to everyone." Her smile turned lazy and her voice husky. "No one knows how to please you like someone who has the same equipment you do."

Scott sighed and folded his arms.

"Please, Linca," he sighed and gave her a stern look. "I've not had my evening meal yet. Can we refrain from discussing your sexual orientation until after I have eaten?"

Chihiro nodded, agreeing with him. She did feel rather nauseous. She was hungry but her stomach had begun to churn in warning. She thought she might skip her dinner and go straight to sleep. It had been a stressful day, no wonder she felt ill.

"You're just jealous you are not as uninhibited as me," Linca growled and rubbed her head. "Besides, this lord had decided to spend a century celibate to honour some god of his. It was his mate that found us."

"Ahh," said Rin.

"She was understandably furious," muttered Linca. "But I hadn't known he was even mated. Unless there is a formal bonding there are no marks."

Chihiro rolled her eyes but her hand wondered to her own mating scar. The ceremony was very traumatic. Many spirits would call themselves mates and never make it official.

"Anyway," yawned Linca. "She declared me her servant and cast an impotence spell on him that probably took centuries to wear off."

"You had to work for her?" whispered Rin. "That's harsh."

"Actually she was a good mistress," said Linca wistfully. "We became friends. I did not want to leave after the year and a day."

Rin shrugged and burrowed under her blankets again.

"What about the second term of servitude?" asked Scott suddenly. There was silence in the moonlit glade. Both of Linca's adoptive sisters knew Linca did not talk about her second term of servitude.

"That was for something much worse," murmured the sprite. She pulled at a lock of her white hair nervously.

Scott picked up on the change of atmosphere and decided it was wise to talk about something else. "So," he said brightly. "Are you two ready to go over this prophecy?"

Both spirits groaned. They had been less than impressed with what they had been told and had avoided discussing it until they felt better. Chihiro settled herself more comfortably on the leafy ground.

"So what was the first line?" asked Rin's muffled voice.

"A human will come to this world; her name will ring with a thousand blessings, idiot," said Linca. "And that seems easy enough. Chi's a human and the shortened name 'Sen' that Yubaba gave her means thousand."

"But then it gets more tricky," said Scott. "She will arrive twice, and if she remains she will set alight the ambitions of those who wish to gain the ultimate power through reunion." Scott ran a hand thoughtfully over the red stubble now covering his chin. "First part is simple, but whose ambitions has Chihiro set alight and who or what is going to be reunited?"

"It's my bet is that it has something to do with this 'night wind'…" said Linca. Suddenly her eyes widened. "Oh… Oh oh oh," she cried, bouncing up and down on her knees, her hands flapping up and down as if she was about to take off.

"Haku!" she half shouted. "I dreamt about him, I just remembered!"

"When?" asked Chihiro excitedly. "What did he say?"

"It was just a dream," said Scott soothingly. Human and spirit glared at him, daring him to question them again. Scott swallowed and decided not to be the voice of reason ever again.

"He was having a bath!" chortled Linca. "He said it was hot and dry where he was and some spirit called Kenshin had him."

"Never heard of him," said Rin's muffled voice.

"He said I was too young to know who he was," said Linca huffly.

Chihiro frowned. It was good to have the old man of Arron's word confirmed. Haku was in a hot place; that meant the Glass Desert. They also now had another alias for the spirit that held him. She was a little jealous, however, that it had been Linca who talked to him and not herself. She had a vague memory of being warm, hearing his voice and feeling his arm about her. But that was it, she could recall nothing more.

"Did he look well?" she asked.

"Very well!" said Linca with a grin. "He really is sex on legs you know," she chuckled.

Chihiro's stomach twisted again. She swallowed the extra saliva in her mouth and tried to get the conversation back to the prophecy.

"That's good to know," she whispered. "So… it's this Kenshin's ambitions I have lit, and the lady told us about the old union of the two worlds. He must be doing something to pull together the two dimensions, either to punish humans or for some other twisted reason."

Linca's eyes turned cold at that deduction. "Lady help us if you are right, Chi," she whispered.

"I don't see what is so bad about it," said Rin, throwing her blanket off and sitting up. "If it's done properly, there are more than enough spirits capable of adapting most of human kind to the sallow-hale. Chihiro lives here easily enough; why should human and spirit live apart? If they lived with us then they could see the pain they cause the bonded spirits and us non-bonded spirits would not think of them as evil monsters. Those confined to this world have no idea what humans are like, they assume they are all greedy, malevolent beings bent on destruction." Rin looked at her two sisters and the redheaded human who was becoming almost a friend to her. "We could live as one," she said, eyes shining in the dark. "That was the way it used to be. We could do it again."

"I hate to stomp on your enthusiasm, Rin…" said a low, lilting voice from the shadows. "But I don't believe it is Kenshin's plan to let everyone live happily ever after."

The lady strolled into the camp. She looked every inch the goddess in a red silk kimono that was covered in embroidered cherry blossom. Her midnight hair fanned out over her shoulders and down her back. It almost gleamed in the moonlight. She knelt on the ground gracefully and looked around the four tired but surprised faces. The spirits bowed before her. Chihiro inclined her head respectfully, Scott was his normal unshakable self; he merely raised one eyebrow at the Goddess's sudden entrance.

The lady's violet eyes narrowed at the tiny fire and the small pot suspended on a tripod above it.

"Is that all you are having tonight?" she asked crisply.

"We have to conserve our rations," said Scott, almost defensively.

"Wise boy," said the Goddess with approval. "But I think tonight we can do a little better."

Suddenly the fire half exploded and doubled in size. It was now a very merry blaze licking at huge hardwood logs. The pot was now a large caldron almost entirely filled with some sort of soup. Chihiro sniffed at the steam rolling off the food.

"RAMEN!" she cried.

"Salmon ramen," corrected the Goddess. "The small dragon needs fish. Her father certainly eats enough of it; she'll probably develop quite a taste for it if she takes after him at all."

Head bowed, Linca shuffled forward and dished out the noodles and fish into five bowls. Chop sticks were handed around and Chihiro tucked hungrily into her ramen, earlier nausea forgotten.

The lady ate her food with as much relish as Chihiro.

"So Rin," she said between mouthfuls. "I can firmly put you in the idealist category, can I?" she said lightly.

Rin bowed her head. "I just think that it does not sound that bad," she murmured to the ground.

"And so it doesn't," said the Goddess around a mouthful of fish. "Until you think it through." She held her head on one side. "How many humans do you think there are, Rin?" she asked softly.

Rin frowned at the ground, thinking. Scott and Chihiro watched with interest. Linca was a lot more knowledgeable about humans than Rin. Rin was like most non-bonded spirits; she knew very little about human kind.

"Err, a few billion," she ventured hopefully.

"Try six and a half billion," said Scott gently.

"WHAT?" shrieked Rin. "There can't be that many of you! How do you all fit?"

Chihiro chuckled at her naive sister. "It's a big planet, Rin," she said, "Things are different in the spirit world; you don't have the same wants or needs. Millions of people live together in the cities we have built. Ten percent of Japan's population live in Tokyo alone."

"Seven million in London," chimed in Scott. "That's fourteen percent of the population of the UK."

Rin shook her head incredulously. "I had no idea," she whispered.

"Many of your kind are the same," sighed the Goddess. You have no contact with the human world so have little idea of what it is like there. The bonded spirits know, but they rarely associate outside their own kind."

The lady shifted and tweaked her kimono, laying her empty bowl to one side.

"If that many humans were suddenly in this world it would be chaos," whispered the lady. "Many would die just from sheer ignorance of this place and most spirits would feel threatened by their numbers… Fights would break out, then open wars as the humans tried to feed and clothe themselves." The Goddess shook her head sadly. "Then the sallow-hale would hit them. Those spirits with the power and the inclination would adapt who they could, but billions of humans would still die." The deity looked at the fire, talking more to herself than her audience.

"The bodies would begin to pile up. In a few short weeks there would be dead humans everywhere, decaying, putrid, infecting the land with their needless death. That in turn would in turn affect us. Many spirits would sicken and die as a direct result of the mass death of humans." The Goddess sighed and began to run her fingers trough the midnight hair that was draped over her shoulder. "And what of the humans left, those few that have held on through plague and persecution? It is unlikely they will be free citizens after all the havoc their coming brought. They would be lucky if there was not a genocidal extermination of them."

"You would not let that happen," whispered Linca. The Goddess smiled at her wanly.

"Unfortunately, Linca, I or indeed my Lord would have little to say in the matter. We are the rulers of the spirit world. Our main function is to keep the worlds apart from each other without breaking contact entirely. That is what we have done for thousands of years. If the worlds are made one once again, we will not be rulers anymore. Our position will be null and void; we would cease to be as we are." The lady looked around the astonished faces. "In fact, I think we might cease to be altogether. We are bonded to the rift between the worlds, it is our power source. Without the rift we are nothing." The Goddess fell silent for a moment and let her hands rest in her lap. "I care not for myself, but I have a husband and a son. Both may perish if you fail, Chihiro," she sighed.

"Aren't you putting a little too much pressure on her?" asked Scott. The words were spoken lightly but the human's blue eyes burned with anger. "You're basically saying if she puts a foot wrong then she is responsible for the extermination of her own kind."

"It is how it is," sighed the Goddess. "But the responsibility is not hers. She did not start this. You can go over the prophecy in minute detail if you wish, but all you really need to know is that Chihiro must keep the worlds from reuniting. That is your quest; that is why this world has marked with the marks of Da'tant, Chihiro. Haku is still imprisoned because of this situation; his power is being used by his captor to aid his plan. It requires massive amounts of magic. The two marks represent the twofold nature of your quest. Getting your mate back and saving your kind are now one and the same thing."

Chihiro rubbed her arms where the lightening bolt marks remained, hidden by her clothing. Rin's hand fell to her stomach, where she bore a similar mark, it's purpose forgotten with her past.

"Wait a moment," said Scott, ignoring Linca and Rin's warning glances. "If what you have just told us is all we needed to know then why couldn't you tell us before we dragged ourselves through the mud and jungle to get here?"

The Goddess shook her head and her lips quirked up at the human's audacity.

"I told you before, son of Mulvey, I can only guide. My job is to maintain the gap between the worlds for as long as I can. I do not have the resources to deal with the perpetrator of these actions, and he has not technically raised a hand against me. I can't declare him an enemy because he has not threatened me or my family directly. That is why you are here; I needed you to know your importance in all this. If I simply told you everything I doubt you would have believed me, or acknowledged that you have a vital role in this world and that its survival depends on your success."

"Alright," said Scott sarcastically. "Sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale but I'll accept it." His blue eyes narrowed. "So is this about killing humans or is it about killing you?"

"Oh, full marks," chuckled the Goddess. "I thought it was about the humans, at first," she said more seriously. "There is little love lost between many spirits and your race. A particularly powerful spirit could have been weakened by human activity in the past and become angry about it." The Goddess paled a little, making her skin appear translucent in the firelight. "Then I heard what the old man of Arron told you." The Goddess's violet eyes focused on the fire. "The night wind is a name I remember very well," she almost whispered.

"So the grudge is against you personally?" asked Scott, his tone more kind.

"Yes," replied the goddess, softly. "The humans are probably seen as acceptable losses. I can't see how he would be able to save them all, even if he wanted to."

"You know this Kenshin then?" asked Linca.

"I do," whispered the goddess. "But by another name than the ones he is known by now." She moistened her lips and let her eyes slide closed.

"He's my son," she breathed.

Chihiro stared at the lady open mouthed, her ramen forgotten. The lady's words carried such a sense of loss and hurt that Chihiro felt her heart ache for her.

"I had a partner before I became the guardian of the rift," said the Goddess in a dead voice. "It was a brief fling, it did not last, but I did fall pregnant despite precautions. I thought at the time that the child must be fated and had an illustrious life ahead of it. He was such a sweet child, always asking why things were so." The Goddess smiled wistfully. "I called him my little warrior; he could wield a sword more competently than any full grown spirit I had seen by the tender age of twenty. He had a gift for the fighting arts and I indulged his obsession and sent him to the best teachers and academies while still a child.

"The world was hardly ever peaceful back then; there were always border disputes and small wars being waged for as long as I can remember. I made my son the general of my dominion's armies at the age of fifty-five. He was very successful. He was firm but kind to the troops and they respected him. Our domain grew in strength; I could not praise him high enough. I wanted him to succeed me as head of our domain; he refused, he had no ambitions of power." The lady shook her head at the memory. "He still wanted to know everything. His magic skills were almost a match for his skills on the battlefield. He was an excellent scholar as well as a warrior. He was also completely oblivious to the numerous young woman that admired him." The Goddess almost laughed.

"Then I found a new mate," she said more gravely. "I freely admit that I may have neglected my son at this time. But he was fully mature I thought nothing of it. We lived reasonably peacefully as a family for thousands of years. My mate and my son were not close, but they got on. There was a distance between us, however, which had not been there before I was mated. I regretted it but every mother knows they have to let their child go his own way eventually. I mistook the distance as independence.

"Then there was a period of very bloody battles. My son was captured during the course of this war, not once but twice. Our forces were stretched thin and he kept putting himself in harm's way to save his troops, knowing that he was unlikely to be killed. I ignored the demands for ransom that came for him, on my mate's advice. We could not be seen to be weakened by his loss. It tore my heart, but it made tactical and political sense. He escaped the first time. We had a lavish feast to celebrate his return and he appeared to hold no grudge against me for my actions. The second time he was in captivity we actually won the war before we could free him and demanded his release as part of our enemies' surrender. He was imprisoned for fifty years in total. He was not the same after that; he grew cold towards me. Then I was called upon by the great council of spirits to be the rift guardian along with my mate. My son was not to be blessed. He would remain as he was." The lady sighed and shifted on her knees restlessly, as if nervous.

"My elevation did not seem to bother him," she murmured softly. "I made him my champion to make up for it. He fought for me on many occasions, but by that point we barely spoke to each other. He was not what I was; we were different entities. My little boy who wanted to know everything now knew too much. He had shed enough blood to fill an ocean and all in my name. He kept killing for me, and I kept letting him because he served me well. I showered him with gold and titles but he chose to spend his time in the desert, far away from me. He was my only child, making him a natural target for capture, which happened occasionally. But both of us knew that if he was taken I would neither ransom nor rescue him. I had other, more pressing duties. He was to be treated like any other prisoner of war. He would not be killed; because if he was I would then have reason to exact revenge on his captors. He was of more use alive; then he could be used in negotiations and as protection against attack. After his sixth capture in two centuries he did not come home. I discovered later that he had put himself into a hibernation trance." She smiled sadly.

"I was actually relieved; I thought it was perhaps best that he stayed that way. The last time I had met him he did not speak to me at all; he listened to my orders and nodded, that was all, but his eyes… His eyes were so cold. They made me afraid, not of him but for him. He is far older than most spirits; I thought perhaps that maybe his time to pass on may come while he slept." The goddess tugged at her hair again. "I would have welcomed that; I would no longer have to be reminded constantly of how I had failed him as a mother when he had gone. He was the product of my bad judgement and warmongering. I had thought him still asleep until today."

There was silence in the camp. No one knew what to say. Finally Linca could bear it no longer.

"Your own son wants to kill you?" whispered Linca.

"I have not been the best of mothers," murmured the Goddess. "I have my duty before all else, even family. Even when I had a small domain it was my people that came first. He understood that. Then the entire spirit world replaced those people, he knew that too."

"I don't understand," murmured Chihiro. "You talk about multiple wars, but you do not appear to be the kind to get involved in war at all."

The Goddess beamed at her. "I'm glad you think so, Chihiro, but I have not always been this magnanimous. I am also very old, I've had plenty of time to make mistakes." Chihiro frowned, not understanding.

"Have you ever read the bible, Chihiro?" asked the Goddess. Chihiro shook her head. "How about you, son of Mulvey?" the Goddess asked.

"Yes," said Scott, now also frowning. "When I was younger."

"A fascinating book," said the Goddess. "And the root of a number of fascinating human religions."

Scott looked helplessly at Chihiro.

"It's in two parts," said the Goddess to Chihiro. "Two testaments." She turned to Scott. "How do they compare to each other?" she asked sharply.

"They don't," said Scott abruptly. "They are written at different times and by many different people. The Old Testament for the most part is about God telling his people how to live and smiting them if they don't behave. The New Testament is about him sending his son to earth, who really tried to change a few things and ends up dead for his trouble. Smitings are few and far between."

The Goddess laughed, clearly delighted. "When this is all over, son of Mulvey, you and I shall open a bottle of snowberry wine and debate theology late into the night. But for now I believe you have proven a point for me." Her violet eyes swept over the little group.

"When I was a normal spirit I was hot tempered and impulsive. My lack of diplomacy placed my son in some very awkward situations that he usually had to kill to resolve. He was good at it, but I should have let him be my son rather than my tool. When I ascended to the dizzy heights of rift guardian I became idolised and worshiped to such an existent that I became a powerful goddess. I was still quick to anger and quick to judge, just like the god the Old Testament speaks of. But that god changed, and then used his own son to tell everyone that he was a loving god too."

The Goddess smiled, her violet eyes far away. "It truly is a beautiful book; I wish some of my worshipers would write down my words like that. Then generations of spirits could know me better and know that as I got older, my head shrank and I realised that I was not all powerful; that my word should not be law, it was not my function. It would be quite a fable, everyone could learn from my folly." She sighed heavily and looked at Chihiro.

"But by the time I realised these things my son was imprisoned and had been a stranger to me for centuries. I still love my son, but he lost all affection for me. I broke him, I used him harshly and I broke his soul. It's not the first time either. I have used many spirits in the past, the old man of Arron being one of them. He runs from the visions I gifted him with, but he predicted the disaster that now approaches long before any of you here were born. He is very useful and as a goddess I have to lean heavily on a few to benefit everyone."

"Like me…" murmured Chihiro, feeling numb. So many of her preconceptions had been lost she was not sure what to think about the Goddess anymore. "…Like Haku and Yubaba and Zeniba…"

"And many others," sighed the Goddess. "I do what I must and regret in private. But duty comes first. It is my family's burden and no one else can carry it. My first born son may think he can do better but the truth is he is not fit to take my place; he does not have the right qualities. He knew that himself once, but he has changed, just as I have." The Goddess fell silent at last. She bowed her head as if praying, her midnight hair falling over her face.

Chihiro felt torn, she liked this Goddess and she was auntie to her second child. She seemed so human in a way, so approachable. But she was a goddess, the most powerful of all the many spirits that were worshiped in the spirit world. She was not apologising for what she was, she was only confessing to being hard hearted and treating her first born son badly. Everything else was ancient history and could not be changed. It was all beyond Chihiro. She may not have read the bible but she knew a few stories. Scott was right, the older ones were darker. The Lord and Lady must have been truly formidable in their greener days. All this was a symptom of their former bloodthirsty natures. Now that old hate and anger had made a monster who wanted their destruction. The Goddess was right, it was a fable, a fable about lives led in the shadow of violence and what grew from that. Chihiro's stomach roiled.

Scott folded his arms and snorted. "All this means nothing to me, I'm an atheist," he announced. "While this is all very melodramatic and tragic it does not solve any of our immediate problems. We need to know how to get from here to the Glass Desert by the shortest and hopefully the safest route. Your penitent confession is meaningless."

"Knowledge is power, human," the Goddess almost snapped. "You now know what you face. I did not have to tell these painful little details; I do so because I wish to help you."

"No," corrected Scott. "Your survival depends on us, that why you help us."

"Silence!" hissed the Goddess. "Or I will remove your tongue!"

Linca and Rin cowered back. Chihiro tugged at Scott's arm wondering what the matter was with him. He hardly ever got so angry; he was often the voice of reason.

"That's the attitude that got you into this mess," growled Scott. "If you had treated your son a little better, if you had been a little more motherly, then maybe you would not be fearing for your life now!" he half shouted.

The Goddess's eyes narrowed at him.

"Where is your own mother, son of Mulvey?" she asked sharply.

Scott paled and let Chihiro pull him back a little. He relaxed against her, visibly more calm.

"I don't know," he whispered. "She left when I was fourteen."

"Do not confuse your own pain with this situation," the Goddess said quietly. "I am not your mother. I do not deserve to have the venom you want to release at her spat at me."

Scott nodded, deflated.

"But you are right," the deity admitted. "Dwelling on the past is of little use now. I did perhaps overindulge myself in telling you so much. We must focus on practicalities. I will help you plan your journey."

"Forgive me," murmured Chihiro, her hand fluttering to her lips.

"Why?" asked the Goddess, frowning. "If anything I should…" The Goddess's words were cut off by Chihiro turning around and vomiting her ramen into the roots of the nearest tree.

"Ah," said the Goddess and rose smoothly. To everyone's surprise the Goddess knelt at Chihiro's side and pulled back her hair as she retched and dribbled into the soil. The Goddess rested her hand on the human's forehead and spoke to her quietly. Chihiro began to cry.

"I know," whispered the Goddess. "He should be here doing this."

"I want him back!" she sobbed. "I don't care about your son, or you, or the fate of this world!" She sobbed between heaves. "I WANT MY MATE BACK!" she howled. "He's the most important thing to me. _My_ duty is a very distant second."

The Goddess nodded and wiped Chihiro's mouth with the sleeve of her beautiful kimono.

"If that is true then you may just be stubborn enough to get through this," whispered the Goddess. "I, for one, wish you a happy ending, Chihiro, and not because my life depends on it, but because I know how you suffer and I know it is my fault more than anyone's."

Chihiro could not take anymore. She was bone weary, nauseous and confused. She just wanted to curl up and die quietly in a corner. Then she felt it; the tiniest of movement in her belly, accompanied by the smallest warmth in the back of her mind. Chihiro stiffened and her hands flew to her stomach. Her eyes widened with surprise and shock. She was only a few months along, how could it be aware of her already?

The lady smiled. "I think someone is worried about you," she whispered. Chihiro nodded, still stunned that her tiny daughter was trying to comfort her.

"We'll be alright," she said, rubbing her still smooth stomach. "I promise you, we will be alright." The presence left her, slipping away back to an oblivious slumber. Chihiro dried her eyes on her sleeve.

"So, which way do we head tomorrow?" she asked softly.

* * *

**Yay… so a little deeper a little darker… And it will get darker still towards the end.**

**Have more fanart to share.**

**Drowsy in the nook… eds1's take on what Haku and Chihiro's daughter will look like.**

**The Pendant- This is what Rayvinloire thinks the Tac' Tal may look like.**

**Confession- A sketch by Daishar to go with this chapter.**

**All of these are on my Deviant art site. Link is on my profile.**

**FF is not at all well, I am not going to post again until it is fixed and it has been down now for almost 2 weeks. Don't blame me, I'm just sick of being unable to post when I want to and no alerts being sent out so i still get begging emails. Yes for once I am pissed off... **


	25. TLC

_**Tender loving care**_

Haku heard the door open but did not open his eyes. It took effort to even think about opening his eyes. He had worn the cursed collar that sapped his magical strength for nearly four days. He had given up trying to pull it off when he had scratched his neck so much with his fingernails that the blood made it too slippery to hold. It was actually melded to his skin. He could not remove it himself; not without his power and that was still maddeningly sealed away from him.

That was bad enough, but his power was being constantly drained away. It was only a miniscule amount every thirty minutes or so. He understood why so little was taken at a time, there was no point draining him dry, he would take days to recover before he could be tapped again. The collar only took what he could replace, that way his power was never completely exhausted. But even then, it still hurt him every time power was extracted from him. It would hit him like a blow to the stomach making him queasy and disorientated.

Haku wondered exactly how Kenshin was using the power he provided. He felt a bit like a cow or goat, milked for a useful substance. It particularly hurt his pride to think of himself that way, especially as he had eaten plenty such animals that strayed too close to his river in the past. Now he felt almost sympathetic towards them, though that did not take away from the fact that they tasted good.

"If I stay here much longer I'm going to become a vegetarian," he muttered to himself.

"What?" snapped a very familiar voice. Despite his tiredness Haku's eyes flew open.

Yubaba stood in his cell. He stared at her for a long moment, not quite believing that the old witch was back. He had not seen her since almost savaging her hand. He looked at the plate sized eyes, wrinkled face and grey hair cinched back into a bun on top of her head. Yubaba; the builder and former owner of one of the largest spirit replenishment facilities in the spirit world. The nastier of the cursed witch sisters. She was underhanded, greedy, uncaring and selfish. However, in an odd way, he was glad to see her. She was a face he knew, even if she was one he now hated. He sighed, shrugged and closed his eyes. He was too tired to even care why she was there.

"Kenshin has finally broken you, I see," spat the witch. "I expected you to last longer."

Haku opened one eye and gave her a flat look.

"I am weakened, but far from broken," he said softly. "Release me and I will show you by tearing your throat out." The witch huffed at him.

"You would not be here if you had not tried to take my bath house from me!" she cried. "This is all your own fault!"

Haku closed his eye again and curled up on the sandy floor.

"You keep telling yourself that, witch," he sighed. "Maybe you'll be able to convince yourself it's the truth in a few months time."

"The Rift Guardians had no right to interfere in my business!" the witch half howled. "You should not have listened to them. No one had a right to intervene!"

"Your bath house is a vital public service," yawned Haku sleepily. "What you failed to realise is that you maintained it for the spirits who use it. It was never supposed to be a way for you to amass a vast personal fortune. That was not why you and Zeniba built it."

"You know nothing," hissed the witch.

"Probably," murmured Haku. "What I do know, however, is that you would have been bankrupt by now if I had not stepped in. The fact that you have any fortune at all is my doing; you should be thanking me."

The witch made no reply, but Haku could hear her teeth grinding in frustration. He grinned and pulled his knees closer to his face. He was too tired for this conversation. Too much had happened to him recently. Kenshin's words had shaken his faith. The lord and lady had been prominent residents of the spirit world for as long as he could remember. They had ruled a large domain in the south. They had to fend off attacks from smaller nations, greedy of their success and their enemies had usually been mercilessly crushed. But they had been wise and just rulers to those spirits that lived in their realm, which was why they had been asked to guard the rift.

He had not really been aware of much at the time of the splitting of worlds; he had been an uncaring bonded spirit. All he cared about was the seasons and the life within the water. He was ignoring the humans and their numbers after he had killed that child. The spirit world had been distancing itself from human kind anyway; creating two parallel worlds seemed like a natural progression. But after what Kenshin had said, Haku was beginning to wonder if the spirit world was too quick to judge human kind. He was an example of how the entire world had behaved. Humans had first been welcomed, helped out of pity. These intelligent creatures fighting for survival and scratching a living from the land with no magic to aid them had touched the hearts of many spirits. But many of those benevolent spirits had either been taken advantage of or been harmed in some other way. Thus the spirits had fled from human kind and made a safe haven for themselves.

But Haku was now in a unique position. He had been shown that humans could be good and kind creatures and now he was mated to a human, he knew her innermost thoughts. While her understanding of his true nature was limited she did her best to comprehend him. She loved him even though she would never fully understand him. If she could trust him that much and not fear what she did not understand then surely other humans could too. Perhaps they had all underestimated them. But it was too late now; human kind was beyond their influence, the majority of them did not even believe that the ground they walked on was aware of their every step. If they were, they would surely tread upon it more gently.

Haku did not think ill of the old ones; they were protecting spirit kind no matter what Kenshin said. He was after all surrogate uncle to their child, he knew them to be good and kind spirits. But he also knew they were ruthless with those who crossed them. Yubaba was only one example of many. Now they were using his mate; he was not sure if he could forgive them for that, no matter how good the cause. He was not sure of the exact nature of the prophecy but he was sure that Chihiro's purpose was to stop the worlds from reuniting. It was a heavy task and almost certain to fail, no matter how much help she had. It worried him greatly but there was nothing he could do from inside his cell; he had to trust her not to die. Her Tac' Tal was full of protective magic and the fact she was his mate gave her the ability to command a small amount of his power just through the connection between them. It was not much but it eased his mind slightly that she was not defenceless.

What also weighed on his mind was what would happen if she did fail. If the worlds were made one as Kenshin planned, then what would happen to the billions of humans who would be plunged into a world they knew nothing of? Haku knew what the sallow-hale could do. There was no way all the humans with no magical blood could be adapted to its effects. The sallow-hale was basically an allergic reaction to magic; a reaction that was so strong it was deadly. If Kenshin was seeing the death of billions of humans as acceptable, then Haku could truly feel no sympathy with his cause, no matter how just it may at first appear. If that number of humans died it would poison the land and water, many bonded spirits would weaken and may even perish. That was also unacceptable. Besides, Haku thought the old ones were dong the best job they knew how to do. There was no one else more capable.

"Err…" said Yubaba's cracked voice. "Are you asleep?"

"Yes," groaned the dragon. "You will get no sport out of me today, Yubaba. Now let me be."

The witch grunted and closed the door, but she had shut herself in the cell.

"I am here in a professional capacity," said the witch pompously. "I have been asked to maintain your strength and therefore health. We can't draw power off you if you are unhealthy and not replenishing the power taken from you."

Haku gave a sleepy chuckle. "I prefer the shadow spirits," he grumbled.

"Kenshin felt that I would better take care of your needs. As much as I dislike you, I agree with him," muttered Yubaba. "The shadow spirits are different from the average spirit. They will not notice if you sicken."

"Kenshin has a sense of humour, I see," murmured Haku. "I have no idea how he has got those creatures to work for him, I've never known them to associate outside their own kind," he added in a more serious tone.

Yubaba shuffled around the cell. He could hear banging noises and water pouring but he did not open his eyes.

"They owe him a debt," replied the witch. "He was captured by them once. It was luck more than might and he could easily have escaped. However, when he saw the conditions they lived in, he was moved to help them. They feared the day; they were completely nocturnal and dependent upon their weasel spirit overlord to feed them." A dish clattered and she muttered a curse before continuing.

"As you know, if they don't eat they can't maintain their form and they evaporate; that is why so many restaurants have sprung up around the bath house."

Haku nodded. He knew this well, they had been good customers.

"They fought for this spirit in exchange for food," sighed Yubaba. "An entire race of spirits enslaved. Kenshin cast a spell over all of them, changing their essence to endure the daylight. He exhausted himself doing it, but it freed them from their overlord. They nursed him for ten years as he recovered and in that time he taught them how to farm, just like humans do, so they would never be dependent on anyone for food again. Their weakness became their strength. They trade their produce all over the spirit world and though they prefer the night they can, and do, move around during the day. When Kenshin left them they pledged their lives to him and have worshipped him as a benevolent god ever since. When he imposed a hibernation trance on himself they guarded the underground cavern where he slept."

The witch cackled to herself. "It took me two weeks of negotiation with them before they would allow me to wake him to speak to him."

A memory flashed in Haku's tired mind. He was walking to the temple of the Lord and Lady, through the street of a thousand temples in the town of the clock tower. Chihiro was just to his left and they were walking up the street with a large amount of the bath house staff. His mind was primarily on her bonding. She had to be bonded; he loved her too much to let her go. But in-between the worry and his racing heart and ignoring the temple to his own kind, he really hated the adulation he got just for being a dragon. It made him feel uncomfortable, even now… He remembered the black obelisk the shadow spirits prayed and made offerings to…

"It was they who gave him the name "The Night Wind," he is their deity, they recognise no other," continued Yubaba. "They offered to help him with his plan after he woke; he did not even ask them."

Haku grunted; another old mystery solved. The shadow spirits had been moving around in the daylight since before humans evolved. It was worrying that Kenshin had an entire race of devout followers. No wonder there were so many shadow spirits among those who had attacked the bath house. He should have seen the warning signs; the shadow spirits had stopped attending the bathhouse not long after his mating. They must have been rallying for months.

"_When I get out of this I am putting together my own spy network,"_ he thought ruefully. _"I will never be surprised like this again."_

There was the clinking of pottery and a strong smell of herbs. Haku wondered what Yubaba was up to but he could not trouble himself to move. Just then the collar took another bite out of his power. He whimpered and shuddered, though it shamed him to show such weakness before his enemy. He opened his eyes and glared at the witch. To his surprise she was looking at him flatly, with no triumph in her eyes. As he continued to look as his stomach cramped, he saw something that made his blood boil. Sympathy; she felt sorry for him.

Haku rolled to his hands and knees, chains rattling, tiredness temporally forgotten.

"Don't you dare pity me, hag!" he roared. "This is all your own doing; your avarice caused of all of this. The blood of those who died defending the bathhouse is on your hands!"

She flinched back from him, eyes hardening.

"Tell me," he growled, teeth bared. "Are the rotting corpses of your former staff acceptable as long as you gain your bathhouse back?"

"Silence," she hissed. "I had no idea Kenshin planned to attack that way. I thought he would besiege you… make you surrender. He used the battle as a decoy so I could steal my sister's seal," she ranted back, but Haku could see from her frown that she was less than happy about her slain staff. "He hoped to lay hands on Chihiro also," she said tiredly. "He knew of the prophecy months ago and wanted to stop her from opposing him before he even put his plan into action. But she was still in the other world; we had not thought you would sacrifice so much energy to keep her there. We wanted to weaken you to get her, but you kept her in the other world. We underestimated your commitment to her."

Haku's arms would not support him and he collapsed, rolling onto his side panting. He moistened his lips. He was thirsty again but was too tired to reach for the water on the table at the other end of the cell.

"You didn't think I would keep her there because you have never loved anything more than your own life…" he gasped. "I would sacrifice myself ten times over if it meant my mate was safe."

"You're an idealistic fool," snapped the witch. "It's a wonder you have survived this long with such a small self preservation instinct." There was more clinking of crockery.

"If you had not wasted all your resources on her you may have been in a better condition to fight," she murmured absently. "Less of my staff would have died and you would not have been captured."

"Better to have me here than her," he gasped. "I would do the same again; the only one who can oppose you is still free."

"She could be killed," said Yubaba softly.

"I know," he whispered. "And if she dies it will kill me."

"Don't be so dramatic!" snapped the witch. "You are a dragon; you would bear her loss and carry on. She is just a human, no matter how fond of her you are."

Haku shook his head; the witch would never understand.

"Now sit up," demanded the witch. "I have some medicine to make you feel a bit stronger and then you will eat a proper meal and drink a good quantity of water."

Haku swore violently at the witch, and refused to move.

"Get up or I will lift you up myself," she threatened.

"You come near me I really will take your fingers off this time," he growled. Yubaba sighed.

"Stubborn," she grunted. "You're not fooling me; you can't even keep your eyes open."

Hands grabbed him by the front of his new homespun kasode, another way Kenshin was trying to improve his conditions and thus his viability as an extra source of power. The fabric itched a little, especially as it was yanked over his shoulders while Yubaba pulled him upright. He growled and snapped at her half heartedly. But they both knew his energy was spent.

She propped him up against the cool, rough-hewn stone blocks that made up the wall at the back of his cell. She stood up, panting.

"You're heavy," she gasped.

"You're old," growled Haku by way of a reply.

The witch said nothing. Suddenly she bent down to him and a bowl containing a pungent smelling watery herbal infusion was shoved before his nose. He winced at the smell.

"Drink it," she commanded.

"I don't think so," he snorted, trying to get the offensive smell from his nostrils.

"Drink it," she repeated "Or I will open your mouth and pour it down your gullet."

He stayed tight lipped; the contents of the bowl smelt like a combination of cat urine and compost. He was not drinking it, no matter how good it was for him.

His eyes nearly popped out of his head when the witch grabbed his nose. The gnarled fingers pinched his nostrils together firmly, not allowing him to breathe. Normally that would not be a problem for him; he could hold his breath for well over thirty minutes in this form, being a water spirit. But he was weak; he did not have the stamina to hold his breath for long. He managed five minutes before his lungs began to burn in protest. His eyes watered and he bit his lip.

"Stop being so obstinate and drink the stuff," sighed Yubaba tiredly. "It's the best gold can buy."

Haku could not hold on any longer, he slightly parted his lips to take a quick breath in. Yubaba was too fast for him. The bowl was shoved between his lips and the liquid was poured down his throat. He choked and wheezed as he inhaled more than he drank.

"Next time drink something when I tell you to," snapped the witch, wiping his face roughly with her sleeve to mop up what had dribbled down his chin and neck. "If I have to look after you then you are going to do as you are told."

"No, I'm not; I hate you," gasped Haku between coughs. The stuff tasted worse than it smelt.

"You want to escape don't you?" said the witch suddenly Haku's coughing ceased and he stared at the witch as if she had gone stark raving mad. His eyes narrowed suspiciously; what was she up to?

"If you want to escape you have to be in the best condition possible to take advantage of an opportunity," declared the witch, standing up. "Do as you are told and conserve your strength, Kohaku," she said, waggling a bent finger at him. "You won't be able to aid your mate if you fight against us every step of the way."

Haku knew she was telling him this to make him behave for her, but she was right. He was seeking a way to escape and he had to be in good condition to do that. Besides, the noxious concoction she had force fed him appeared to have settled his stomach and he certainly felt less tired.

"It's a powerful stimulant," said the witch, seeing the amazement on his face. "It will counteract the physical affects of the loss of your power."

Haku nodded, feeling better than he had in weeks. He was almost grateful to the old witch. She presented him with a bottle of fresh spring water and five large carp on a silver platter.

"Now eat it all, and drink plenty. I will not have you dehydrating," ordered the old witch.

Haku looked at the gleaming fish and felt his stomach rumble.

"Thank you," he murmured, surprised how easily the words rolled off his tongue.

He looked up at the witch; she appeared to be astonished. Her eyebrows had shot up and her huge eyes were even larger than they normally were. She opened her mouth twice before any sound came out.

"You're…You're welcome, Haku," she stammered.


	26. Cliffhanger

_**Cliffhanger**_

Kenshin stalked backwards and forwards across his bed chamber. It was a simple place and that suited his tastes. He had, in the past, insisted on luxury accommodation. He was younger then; more stupid, when he thought that the grandeur of his surroundings may compensate for the lack of control he had over his own destiny. He had once thought his position in the spirit hierarchy a grand one. His mother was a very powerful spirit, as had his father been (though he was long dead). It took him centuries to realise that he was his mother's tool. She used him. Like she used everyone else.

She had tried to take the time after his first capture to explain that it was her people she had to look after first. If she was weakened, her dominion would fall and her people would suffer. He had thought her so selfless back then; the 'perfect' ruler, and something he could never be. But he had seen over the long years that it was not selflessness. It was selfishness. Feeling attachment to her son would weaken her power, and _that_ was all she had ever really cared about.

Once he deduced that his mother really did not feel anything a normal mother would for her child, he had cut himself off from her. He built a fortress in the desert where he felt secure and shut out the world. He still did her bidding, of course. They were blood, and he did not wish her harm. But with every new battle he fought for her, he wondered at the futility of it all. If his mother, one of the most powerful earth spirits, could not maintain the peace, then maybe she was not fit to rule at all. Countless times she sent him to fight after growing impatient and frustrated with negotiations. It was easier for her to shed blood than practice diplomacy and perhaps have to give up a little of her power.

Kenshin had to be fair to his mother; she had never tried to expand her lands. But she had ignored the neighbouring domains and kingdoms, which created friction, and, eventually, challenges. She had dealt with such situations swiftly and ruthlessly. She was the obvious choice as rift guardian, he supposed; a spirit who had held her lands for thousands of years and had outlived most of her peers. Kenshin could understand why they chose her, and why they chose to leave him out of the blessings they bestowed upon her and her mate.

What he could not understand was why she still called on him to fight afterwards. She was practically a goddess, and yet there were still challenges to her authority by those who felt the rift had been created in haste. Back then, a sizable minority of spirits had human connections, either through mates or their existence as half breeds themselves. Families had been ripped apart. Bonded spirits may still be connected to the human, world but non-bonded spirits were not.

Kenshin had found a pretty fox spirit girl wandering his desert a year after the rift was created. She had severed her own hand to try and rid herself of the madness of being separated from her human mate. But even with the mating mark on her hand gone, the madness remained. She died not long after he brought her to his fortress. In her last moments she was screaming for her mate and four children that had been left in the human world. She apologised to them over and over again; she was not strong enough to see them, she could not create her own rift, they would think she had abandoned them.

Kenshin had been greatly saddened by her loss, and knew she was not alone; he began to think that his mother and the great council of spirits may have committed a great evil. They and many other spirits feared human kind, but did not understand them. It had blinded them to the spirits who coexisted with them harmoniously, even loved them. The notion had grown within him. He saw the result of the separation as the years went on. The spirits still connected to land and sea began to suffer from human activity. Increasingly they were forced to abandon their homes, and those who would not normally perished. This seemed to reinforced the general opinion among spirits that human kind were inherently evil and the separation had been well worth the effort; it protected the weaker spirits and the bonded spirits were given aid to endure the humans. The likes of the bathhouse only existed to service the bonded spirits who were weakened by humans and their ways.

Kenshin, however was of the opinion that it was ignorance; most humans had forgotten that the land and sea was alive. They saw the world as a thing - a resource they could exploit. It was truly not their fault; in all the generations that had passed they had lost the knowledge of a time when human and spirit lived together. Kenshin was in no doubt whose fault this was. The spirits'. They had abandoned the humans out of fear of the newcomers and this was the price they had to pay for such arrogance. The humans were killing them.

Had the rift never been created, there would not be such a situation. Kenshin felt all the way down to his bones that his mother had been wrong, and now the bonded spirits were suffering from her error. He had known she would never listen to him; they had not spoken to each other for over a century. With growing restlessness, Kenshin had put himself into hibernation. He had no wish to oppose his mother, but that was what he would do if he remained awake. The little fox girl and her broken heart still haunted him. He felt as if he wanted to avenge her. He slept, welcoming the oblivion into his tormented and confused mind.

Then he was rudely awoken by a babbling witch who begged him to help her. He finally managed to steer her rant away from Kohaku and his arrogance in taking over what was hers. From what Kenshin heard from the shadow spirits afterwards, she had deserved everything she had suffered and more. But she was a pitiful individual, really, and he had been moved by her evident distress. Then something she said caught his attention.

"_If that ugly human had not got in the way this would never have happened!" _

He demanded the full story from her, and warned her that he would know if she embellished the truth even slightly. That was a lie on his part; he may be powerful but he was not that powerful.

She gave him the story easily enough. Kenshin was amazed that a bonded spirit like Kohaku could feel enough emotion and attachment to a mere human to actually announce to the spirit world that he loved her. The gambit had worked, and his mother had bonded his human to the spirit world. The Goddess had evidently mellowed in her old age; there was a time when she would have slaughtered Haku for even speaking against her. It was a very interesting development for Kenshin. His sleepy brain had realised that all his doubts about the rift were not unfounded. Spirit and human could still live together, even love each other. Then Yubaba said something else that intrigued him.

"_It's just like something out of that cursed prophecy!" _

It had taken Kenshin a month to work his way around the secrecy spell his mother had placed on Yubaba. The witch told him it all, and he realised that he understood a good portion of it. It was a warning that if he tried to reunite the worlds then there would be opposition, opposition from a human no less, someone who should be his ally.

He crossed his room again, thinking hard. He tugged at the linen sheets on his simple pallet bed, smoothing the creases out of them, running a hand through his matt black hair, loose this early in the morning. He could not sleep; a grey light was starting to creep over the sand dunes outside his small window, almost the same colour as his eyes. The desert morning brought a covering of dew on the sand, a welcome relief for many of the desert animals. They would stand motionless on the sand and allow the tiny water droplets to settle on them before licking or sucking the precious moisture off themselves. Lizard and mammal alike took part in this ritual. Kenshin could feel them all stirring in the sand, exiting their burrows and hiding places to find a good position in the open. The predators of the desert watched and waited for an unwary drinker. Blood was just as good as water to these creatures.

Suddenly Kenshin grimaced and doubled over as he felt his massive spell pull yet more power from him. He clutched at his stomach, panting as the nausea rolled in it. He reached for the small bottle of potion on his windowsill and gulped it down. Yubaba had great skill with herbs, just like her sister. It was on of the reasons her bath house was so popular; her herbal infusions were famous and effective, and she had personally trained most of her key staff in their preparation. The cramping in his stomach eased and he straightened up. He sighed with relief. He could appreciate how Haku felt; he may be voluntarily offering up his power but the effect was the same. It was a large spell that would take time to do its work. He could already feel the changes - there had been definite shifts already.

There was one thing troubling him however; what would happen to the humans he could not bond? In any war there was collateral damage. People were killed who had nothing to do with the conflict. But this would be on a much larger scale. He had a plan. He had added to his joining spell. As soon as it was complete he would use the last of his strength to bond all the humans that were in his domain. He was aware that was a tiny number, so he had Yubaba work out a strategy. Every shadow spirit in the entire spirit world would be given food to carry, and when the day of reunion arrived they would feed as many humans as they could. That would give them two weeks grace before the sallow-hale killed them. In that time he would convince as many powerful spirits as possible to bond the newcomers. There would still be deaths, but he was convinced he could save well over half of their population.

It was all he could do; a minority of them may have a small amount of spirit blood in them, and that would give him more time. He knew that he would be responsible for many deaths, perhaps billions, and if that happened he would feel great remorse. But he was correcting a mistake. If things continued as they were with the rift between the two worlds, then both spirit and human kind would kill each other. Without bonded spirits in the human world the land and sea would become barren. It was already slowly happening. Human kind would starve to death. This was for both of their survivals. It was not his fault that the human population was so large; that was another fault of the spirit world. They had left them alone with no guidance. It was only natural for a species to want to procreate and spread. But their numbers would never have gotten so large with spirit regulation.

He would accept the consequences, however. This was his doing and he was doing the right thing. It had to be the right thing, for all he could see ahead for both species was mutual destruction. Now was the time for him to act, before the human population got any bigger, leading to even more deaths.

But he had another problem. Chihiro. His mother had meddled and strengthened her resolve against him. She was in ignorance, too, and his mother was using that. He had also discovered through spying on her that she was with child, something her mate would not be aware of. The connection between them was severed with his hold on Kohaku's power. It was an interesting development, but it fit the prophecy.

How his mother could use a woman who was with child was beyond him. She really was merciless. It was putting him in an awkward position too. He had to start thinking of repelling her. He was not so conceited that he saw a human and her little gang of questers as no threat. He would be very weak by the time they made it to the glass desert. He had to slow Chihiro down, shake her confidence perhaps. Maybe it was even time to reveal himself to her... he was not sure about that yet, but the time would come soon.

He knew she would be crossing the canyon country; it was a dangerous place and ideal for an air strike. He was an air spirit like his father, and knew how to charm winged creatures into doing his bidding. He would not hurt the human, but he would frighten her. She would want to protect her unborn child, so it may be enough to stop her. His mind made up, Kenshin gestured to the rough stone wall, and an ornate mirror with a gold frame appeared on it. It reflected his ancient grey eyes and black hair that did not shine in the early morning light. He looked tired and drawn. This would be his legacy to the world; the process of reunification and bonding the humans would probably kill him. He knew that, but he was hoping to leave the worlds a better place than he had found them.

He would atone for his cursed and bloodstained existence in his next life.

* * *

Chihiro looked down the hill and sighed. They had been travelling south west for two days and they had entered the canyon country; a great expanse of yawning, seemingly bottomless gaps in the ground that stretched for miles. When Yumulk gap was created there were earthquakes all over the region. Large fissures opened up over the surrounding landscape, and while they were not as wide and long as Yumulk gap, they were still big enough to impede the group's progress. It would take days to go around them all. Luckily, the goddess had informed them that there were a number of wood sprites from the surrounding forests that made a living off the canyons. 

They had erected bridges across the fissures and charged travellers a toll to use them. If they paid the money they could be through the canyons in a day. Linca and Scott were flying overhead, guiding those on foot towards the bridges. Rin eyed the canyons dubiously. Her sharp spirit eyes picked out what Chihiro's could not.

"I see the goddess neglected to mention that the bridges would be rope bridges," she grumbled. The Nygel snorted and stirred under Chihiro. She could not blame him; the prospect of traversing one of those rickety bridges filled her with as much dread as it did him.

She did not like heights. Haku had laughed at her phobia - she had felt no such fear when she was a child. She had tried to explain that as a human got older that they became more aware of their own mortality and thus wanted to prolong their lives as much as possible by not encountering thousand foot drops. He had laughed, not understanding. She forgave him easily; he was too beautiful to hold a grudge against and he was not trying to insult her. Her mating scar throbbed painfully and the pain was echoed in the marks on her arms.

"_I'm going as fast as I can!"_ she thought at the universe at large.

They moved down the hill and through the sparse trees and shrubs that peppered the grassy countryside. Things that looked a bit like cows lolloped lazily away from them, not seeing them as a threat. The Nygel smacked his lips and Chihiro tapped her heals to his sides.

"What was that for?" he grumbled. "You know I hate that! I keep telling the red one not to ride me like a domestic animal. If the uses his heels on me one more time I will bite his feet off!"

"Then stop thinking about your stomach and get moving," said Chihiro evenly. "The sky is turning grey, and while you might welcome a drenching, me and my daughter are not so fond of it." The Nygel's ears swivelled forward. He turned his head and pouted at her, hairy lip sticking right out.

"You're abusing your position as pregnant woman when you say things like…" He sprang forward and squealed angrily as Rin trotted up behind him and slapped his rump with the flat of her hand.

"Get moving, pony!" she jeered, running past him.

"Pony!" snorted the horse. He bounced on his front hooves, threatening to rear up. Chihiro's temper heated. She had no time to lose and the contrary horse was about to throw a tantrum.

She dug her heals into his flanks and hissed between her teeth. The Nygel galloped forward and had almost overtaken Rin before he realised what he was doing. He neighed in protest. "That was a mean trick!" he whinnied. "You're using my instincts against me!"

"Just hurry up and get to the bridges," gulped Chihiro. "The longer I'm on you, the more likely I am to vomit my breakfast all over you." The water horse snorted but lengthened his stride and stepped more lightly, giving the human a smoother ride.

They reached a small hut. The two birds were perched on the apex of the roof. Tiny, mouse-like wood spirits came out of the hut and welcomed their customers in high pitched, nasal voices. Rin handed over the silver they required. They were advised that only one person a time should cross as that meant the bridges would sway less. Chihiro swallowed the bile that suddenly jumped into her throat. She was not going to like this.

Rin crossed first and the birds silently followed her. The bridge was a simple one; wooden planks at regular intervals lashed to two ropes that crossed the span. There were two hand ropes above the plank ropes with short side ropes connecting the hand and plank ropes together. The bridge bucked and swayed under Rin but she got safely to the other side with no mishaps. The Nygel was next. He snorted and complained and crossed the bridge at a painfully slow pace, testing each plank of wood before he put the full weight of a hoof on it. He eventually made it to the other side, flanks quivering. Rin ran a comforting hand over him, calming him.

Chihiro griped the rope handles either side of her for dear life. She swallowed nervously again and stepped onto the swaying bridge. She knew there was nothing but blackness beneath her, but somehow that was worse than being able to see the bottom thousands of feet below her. She kept moving and avoided looking at the blackness beneath her feet as much as possible. She kept going though she wanted to freeze with fear. There was no Haku to save her if she fell. The two birds would be of no help and Rin and the Nygel would only be able to watch her fall; the bridge may snap with two people on it. She made it to the other side but she was shaking as much as the Nygel was.

"There," said Rin encouragingly. "That's one down - only ten to go." Chihiro paled, doubled over, and lost her breakfast.

It was not as bad as Chihiro feared. By the fourth bridge she was quite adept at moving with the swaying bridge. The planks she stepped on were covered in spells to stop them rotting and were as hard as iron. The ropes too were full of spells to repel water and prevent fraying. As rope bridges went these ones were as safe as they could be. The Nygel never got used to the crossings and took each one at a snail's pace, having to take a good ten minutes to calm himself when he reached the opposite side. Chihiro and Rin treated him gently and told him of all the wonderful things that awaited him out of the canyon country. There would be lots of rivers, he could eat as much fish as he could catch, and he could spend the day wet. The encouragement seemed to help him.

The birds were never far away and both of them changed back to eat lunch on a thin sliver of land that jutted up between two canyons. It was big enough for them all to sit down and for one sycamore tree to grow, but little else. The Nygel's eyes rolled a little at the drop either side of him, but stopping for lunch was preferable to him crossing two bridges to get to the other side of this particularly wide canyon. The two flyers also supported the Nygel, telling him how close he was to getting out of the fissured land and how brave he had been. It soothed the horse a little. It was the Nygel himself that suggested they should press on; he could smell the rain coming.

Indeed, Chihiro could see dark clouds on the horizon. They moved on. It was when they got to the second last bridge that Linca came screaming out of the sky to land at the foot of the bridge they were just about to cross. She changed, fathers melting away to reveal light blue skin and white hair and eyes. She pointed urgently at the sky.

"Rocs!" She hissed.

Rin and Chihiro looked at each other, puzzled.

"Big birds!" shouted Linca, flapping her arms. "Huge! Travel in flocks, prey on buffalo and elephants!" Chihiro squinted at the sky. Against the dark menacing clouds she could just make out that one cloud was moving against the wind. Moving rapidly against the wind.

"Get going!" snapped the sprite. "We have to get under cover! We are a mere snack to these things!" She changed back to her bird form, joining Scott above them. The Nygel snorted as both Rin and Chihiro pushed him towards the bridge. He understood the urgency but he was already starting to shake. He did his best, but it took him almost ten minutes to cross the bridge. As he shook it swayed, increasing the movement of the planks beneath his uncertain hooves. When he finally reached the other side, the birds were almost on top of them. They looked like giant black eagles, with wicked black raptor bills and yellow avian eyes.

"RUN!" shouted Rin, pushing Chihiro on to the bridge. "Get across as fast as you can!"

The birds flew up and met the rocs. They dove at them and pulled at feathers but they were like flies buzzing around the giant birds. They were ignored. Chihiro sprinted across the bridge. It swayed and jumped under her feet but she kept running. Wind began to add to the bridge's movement, down-draughts from the massive birds' wings. The bridge bucked wildly, and Chihiro grabbed the side ropes. She hung on as the birds loomed down upon her. She screamed a curse at them and ducked.

Nothing happened. The bridge danced and slewed, like a rodeo bull trying to dislodge her from its back. But the sharp black talons of the birds, inches in length, missed her entirely. Seconds later they were gone. Chihiro continued to cling to the bridge, shaking and panting. It had not been her they were after; they had probably just wanted to investigate them, see if they were worth eating, but even the Nygel was too small for these giants to bother with.

"Chihiro," called out Scott's voice. It sounded strained and anxious. "Move very slowly and crawl across the rest of the bridge." His instructions were careful; calm. Chihiro frowned. Something was wrong. She carefully checked over herself; she was unhurt.

"Chihiro, you have to move now," came Rin's voice. "We can't help you." Chihiro finally uncurled from the rope she was gripping. That was when she saw the problem. The rocs may not have wanted her, but they certainly hadn't been gentle with the bridge.

The ropes were nicked in a hundred places, and not just the hand ropes; the ropes the planks were attached too were also damaged. She sat back a little and the bridge creaked at her shifting weight. Part of the hand rope at her eye level began to fray as she looked at it. She stiffened, the other side was still twenty feet away. She was not going to make it. She tried to slow her rapid breathing and think. Luckily Scott had already assessed her situation.

"Chihiro," he called his voice more steady. "Linca is going to fly over and give you the flying cloak. Put it on and you'll be safe." Chihiro nodded, her eyes never leaving the slowly fraying rope before her. Three more strands broke as she watched. The opposite side was a flurry of activity as the cloak was balled up and tied together so Linca could carry it. Chihiro thought it may be too heavy for her bird form. She moistened her lips and called back.

"If this thing snaps what do I do?" she asked, voice shaking.

"That's not going to happen!" whinnied the Nygel from the other side.

"It might," she replied.

"This bridge is attached to an overhang on the either side of the canyon," shouted Scott. "If the bridge snaps, hang onto the nearest rope and wrap as much of it around you as you can. The overhang will stop you hitting the canyon wall at full force. You will be fine. If it snaps, we can pull you up." Chihiro smiled to herself, appreciating the honest answer. She felt better.

There was a screech and Linca began to make her way across the canyon, the flying cloak folded and lashed together, gripped tightly in her claws. The white owl was having to furiously beat her wings to stay in the air. She almost looked like a humming bird. Her flight dipped sickeningly for a moment but she gained altitude again. She reached Chihiro within minutes and landed on the plank nearest her. Chihiro reached for the cloak.

The was a high squeal of stressed fibres and the rope Chihiro had been watching snapped. The bridge pitched sideways and Chihiro slid towards the chasm. She grabbed the frayed side ropes above her and hung on. Her legs were hanging over her edge but her rump was still on the planks.

"GRAB ON!" Scott roared across the canyon. Shaking and sobbing with fear, Chihiro wrapped her wrists and elbows up in rope. She managed to swing her legs back onto the bridge. With trembling hands she hacked at the side ropes with Haku's sword. It was quiet for once, as if sensing her situation. She tied side ropes to her legs and waist. The bridge gave another lurch and she screamed.

"It's alright," shouted Scott. "Remember what I said. Stay calm and make sure you are secure." Chihiro shoved the sword back through her belt. She was about to shout that Scott knew nothing and that this was the stupidest idea he had yet had, when one of the plank ropes snapped. The planks beneath Chihiro fell to hang vertically from the one remaining rope. Her stomach rolled. She screamed again and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see any more. Linca was hooting and screeching at her, Rin was yelling encouragement and the Nygel was whinnying in panic.

"_I'll be fine, just fine, the rope will hold, I'll be just fine."_ She repeated the sentence in her head over and over. There was another snap and another lurch. She spun in a slow circle. There was only one rope left; she kicked her legs and tried to get as tangled in the ropes around her as she could, eyes still firmly shut.

Then she was sailing through the air. Her heart rose into her mouth as she screamed yet again. It was a feral, terrified sound that ripped her throat and hurt her ears. She had never realised she could make such a sound. The next thing she knew was the breath leaving her body as she slammed into the canyon wall. She opened her eyes, gasping for air. She gulped and sobbed but finally her lungs started to work. Through her watery eyes she saw what had saved her from serious injury. Fifteen feet above her head rocks jutted out into the canyon. The feature was repeated on the opposite side, as if there had once been a rock bridge over the canyon.

Her rope was dangling ten feet from the canyon wall, it had been the difference between the bruises she now had and the shattered bones she would have had if she had hit the wall directly. The canyon below her was black, she could still see nothing. Above her was the grey sky, and Linca screeching and wheeling not far from her.

"I'm alright," she croaked. And she was, her right hand lost in a cocoon of rope that was so tight it was cutting off the blood supply. Her legs were tangled up with planks and frayed rope and the rope at her waist was painfully tight. Her left hand had come free however. She spun in a slow circles, helpless. A face appeared above her. It looked so small and far away. Red hair and blue eyes. Scott must have been on his belly, lying over the overhang. She had fallen towards their side of the canyon.

"Stay still," he said firmly, his voice echoing down the walls. "Rin and I will pull you up." She nodded mutely and concentrated on her breathing. If she was breathing then she was still alive. That's all it was really. If there was breath, there was life.

"Scott!" she heard Rin shout above her. "Scott, this overhang is not stable!"

"Its fine," he shouted back. Chihiro began to move, inching upwards.

Gravel showered down from above. Chihiro looked up to see the underside of the overhang start to fracture.

"SCOTT!" shrieked Rin. "I can feel it cracking!"

"It's fine!" he yelled back. "It will hold until we pull her up!" Looking at the overhang, Chihiro knew Scott was wrong. She also knew that if that rock fell on her it would kill her. Scott knew it too, that was why he was risking himself to pull her up. Chihiro decided she did not like either option. She used her free hand to feel for her sword. The blade stirred; yes, saving those important to them was the honourable thing to do according to the blade.

"_Trust in the master's power, mistress,"_ it hissed in her mind. It was the first time the sword had ever called her mistress. It was right; Haku had protected her as well as he knew how.

"I do trust him," she whispered to the blade. She pulled the blade from her belt and held it against the main rope supporting her above her head. Linca hooted in shock. Chihiro smiled at the snowy owl. She drew the keen blade over the rope.

When she fell this time she did not scream. She heard Scott's cry of anguish as the rope in his hands went slack. She heard the Nygel's terrified squeal split the air. She heard Rin yelling at Scott and pulling him away from the overhang. She heard the overhang crumble and break off above her.

Then she heard silence.

Nothing but her own breathing as the darkness closed over her head and she lost sight of the light above her.

* * *

**Get it? A REAL cliffhanger! I know, bad joke. Daishar has done some excellent and unique fan art for this chap. **

**Link to the fanart shrine is on my profile.**

**Rocs- Large eagle like birds in middle eastern mythology. They could apparently lift and eat an elephant. They are supposed to be white but I made them dark. http // www .search. com / reference / Roc -For a bit more info.**


	27. Nemesis

_**Nemesis**_

Scott pulled in vain against Rin's vice-like grip around his arms and stomach.

"Let me go!" he growled.

"No," came the hissed reply in his ear. "I'm not letting you go until you see sense."

"She's not dead!" he cried. "She can't be!"

"I know that," replied Rin more calmly. "But you can't go after her; it would be suicide."

Scott's brain kicked in. He took deep breaths and tried not to be angry at the woman holding him. She had saved his life, but she was also the reason Chihiro had cut her ropes. She must have heard Rin warning him about the overhang. When the rope had slackened he had nearly clambered down the broken bridge. Rin had actually picked him up and carried him, kicking and screaming, to safer ground. The overhang had broken and she had not let go of him since, waiting for him to gain control of his panic. How could she be so strong? It was rather humbling to be physically weaker than a woman. Scott comforted himself with the fact that Rin was not a human woman. She could run almost as fast as the nygel.

The nygel himself was whinnying and pacing the ground on the other side of the ravine, eyes rolling and flanks shaking. The spirit was deeply distressed, just like Scott had been only moments before.

Linca was nowhere to be seen. Scott guessed she was flying in the darkness below them, searching for her sister with her owl eyes. Even if she located Chihiro she would not be able to help her up to the surface. Scott relaxed a little against Rin and stopped struggling. He regulated his breathing and tried to think. This was the reason Chihiro had chosen him, because she had believed she could trust him to use his experience and common sense to aid her. This was his first test; he would not fail her.

The woman behind him relaxed her grip. Scott almost grunted in surprise when she patted his stomach awkwardly, like she was trying to comfort him but was not sure how. He found it endearing. He was not sure what to say to her. He could tell from the rapid rise and fall of her chest behind him and the occasional hitching breath that she was far from calm herself. When he felt warm water drip into the back of his neck he decided to throw caution to the wind. After all, if he got slapped then he got slapped, it was nothing that was going to humiliate him; there was only the horse-thing to see.

He twisted sharply in her grip, freeing his arms. He took one look at her red eyes and tear stained face and felt his heart melt. He wrapped his arms around her waist and ignored her indignant squeak. He pulled her into a comforting hug. She did none of the things he expected of her. She did not pull away, she did not shout at him, most of all she did not slap him. She lay stiffly in his arms, eyes wide and uncomprehending. Scott held her a little tighter and rubbed his hand up and down her narrow but well muscled back.

"Thank you, Rin," he whispered softly. "You saved me."

The spirit woman in his arms began to cry in earnest. She pulled at his lightweight green cotton shirt and buried her face in it, sobbing.

"I hate humans!" she howled into the fabric.

Scott almost chuckled. He stroked her smooth, straight hair; it really was as soft as it looked. He let her cry; hopefully it would make her more amenable to his plan, though probably not.

The sobs quietened and soon became grizzly sniffs. At last she pulled her head back and looked at him; her bloodshot brown eyes barely met his. She was ashamed.

"Don't be like that," he said carefully. "Please don't be self-conscious."

Rin opened her mouth twice before any sound came out of it.

"But… but… I hardly know you…" she breathed.

"You know me well enough," he countered, "We've been travelling together for weeks. We share a tent."

Rin looked at the wet patch on his shirt.

"I made you damp," she said absently.

"It will dry," he said with a smile.

She pulled away from him at last, angrily dashing the tears from her face.

"I'll never understand humans," she half ranted, angry now. "You see giving into emotions as signs of a strong character." She pointed a shaking finger at him. "I learnt a very long time ago that there were only two things in this world worth having; power and gold."

"I don't think Chihiro would agree with you," murmured Scott, crouching down to rummage through his and Rin's packs. "And if you really felt that way then you would not have asked to be her sister in the first place."

Rin glared at him, unable to think of a retort. Scott found the coiled rope he was looking for and thanked a god he did not believe in that he had packed his climbing equipment. He had no idea if he had enough line to reach the bottom of the chasm. Probably not, but he had to try something. He started to hunt in Rin's pack for a light he could take down with him to penetrate the blackness below. Rin had grown quiet as she watched him.

"You are really going down there aren't you?" she asked, in a tone that said she did not really believe what she was seeing.

"I am," he replied, beginning to uncoil the rope.

"That's insane!" she breathed. "If you fall you will die; there are no spells of protection on you."

"I am aware of that Rin," he murmured as he ran the line through his hands, checking it for damage. He looked up to find her staring at him. She was truly shocked.

"I may be human Rin but I am not as fragile as you may think. I've done this many times; I can abseil a cliff with my eyes closed." He grinned at her. "Not that I plan on doing that."

"But… But... you could die," she stammered.

"True," he replied calmly, anchoring his line to the steel pins that had once held the bridge. "But I don't plan on it."

"You still love her don't you?" she whispered.

Scott's hands froze in the middle of the figure of eight knot he was tying. He thought about the spirit woman's words for a moment then sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Probably," he murmured.

"You're a fool!" hissed Rin, crouching down so she could glare at him more effectively. "She belongs to Haku. Mind, body and soul, she is his. There is no chance for you; none at all!" she half growled.

Scott was surprised by the vitriol in her voice. He wondered what he had said to annoy her.

"I know that too," he replied, meeting her dark brown eyes levelly. "I harbour not even the slightest hope that Chihiro will look at me twice. But that does not stop me loving her."

Rin frowned at him. "You're pathetic," she spat.

"Not really," said Scott, refusing to look away from the angry spirit woman. "Your inability to understand is what I find pathetic and I pity you for it."

"Pity me!" she gasped, incensed. But Scott continued before she could retaliate.

"I may have hoped to win Chihiro's affection once, but no more. It was not meant to be and I've moved on. Coming here and seeing her actually helped with that. I am not going to pine after a woman who is so obviously uninterested in me."

"But you said you loved her?" whispered Rin, her anger quenched under Scott's gentle gaze.

"I do," he replied. "I think she is one of the bravest, most wonderful women I've met. What is not to love? But I don't want her as mine anymore; I have not for a while now. I want to help her and I want her child to be born with its father present, as he should be."

His lips quirked up at the staring spirit.

"If I am honest, I am curious about him; I would like to meet Haku before I go home."

Rin blinked then shook her head.

"How can you be like this? I don't understand"

Scott shrugged.

"Maybe I'm just a nice person," he mused with a smile.

He untangled his harness and slipped it on, careful how he positioned himself. It would not do for the damn thing to chafe him in a delicate area, or put the full pressure of his weight in the wrong place. He threaded the rope through his descender, then attached it to his harness with a karabiner.

Rin eyed the harness suspiciously.

"Is that really going to hold you?" she asked quietly.

Scott nodded. He wished he had brought his head lamp instead of a normal torch. He hooked the lightweight torch to an equipment loop on the harness.

"What happens when you run out of rope?" Rin bleated.

"There's a knot at the end to stop me dropping off." he replied. "If I get to the end and find nothing then I shall have to come back up,"

"So what is the point of this?" Rin squeaked. "You know it's unlikely you have enough rope to get to the bottom! Why bother?"

"Because I have to try," he sighed.

Rin appeared to be waging an internal battle. Finally she stepped forward and held her hands out to him, palms up.

"Lick," she demanded. It was Scott's turn to stare at her. "Lick my palms, human!" she half shouted, her cheeks flushing a little with embarrassment. "I need some of your saliva to bond a spell to you and I don't fancy you spitting on me."

"I don't need any magic to do this, Rin," said Scott soothingly. "I've been climbing since I was a child."

"I am not insulting your ability," snapped Rin. "I am trying to help you; it's all I can do. I hate heights and would probably fall even with a rope. I want my sister back and if there is a chance you can do that then I will have to trust you."

Scott looked at the pale palms presented to him. He bit his bottom lip indecisively. Finally he leant forward and ran the tip of his tongue over both of her cool dry palms. He tried not to think about whether her hands were clean or not. She shuddered; he hoped it was not in revulsion.

He stepped back, feeling extremely awkward; he could not get the idea out of his head that this was not how he normally used his tongue on a pretty woman. But the emotion faded when Rin's hands started to glow. She murmured the spell under her breath and the warm buttery glow of light on her hands formed itself into a floating orb about the size of a golf ball. It flitted from her hands and hovered directly above Scott's head.

"It will follow you and light your way till the spell wears off," murmured Rin softly.

Looking at her, Scott guessed the spell had taken a considerable amount of her energy. She had dark circles under her eyes and she looked even paler than she normally did.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"You better be back by nightfall," she warned. "I'll get cold without you in the tent."

Scott chuckled and perched himself on the edge of the ravine, slightly to the left where the overhang had been, hoping the wall beneath him would be more stable.

Rope taut, he braced his feet on the edge.

"Be careful," said Rin firmly, hands on her hips. "If you make me worry I'll be angry."

"Perish the thought," Scott said with a grin, then leant back.

* * *

Chihiro closed her eyes as she fell. Her stomach roiled and she had to clamp her jaws tightly and swallow to stop herself being sick. The wind whistled past her ears and her hair whipped around her face. The sword in her hand whispered to her to be calm, she was more blessed than she knew, the master would save her.

The Tac' Tal kept hitting her in the face. Its sharp edges caught her cheek and she opened her eyes. All she could see was blackness, deep cold, blackness. Then something green caught her eye; the Tac' Tal was glowing, its obsidian mirror flashing jade green. She clutched at it with her free hand.

"Save us!" she pleaded to it. A picture forced its way into her mind; a dark, bottomless lake that loved her with its every fathom. The waves crashed against black sand shores in agitation. Its human was in danger.

Chihiro slowed. She felt as if she was sinking through water, rather than falling through the air. Her position shifted, she could see the canyon wall just beyond the glow of the Tac' Tal. This was all the river could do for her at such a distance. It was in anguish over her plight but it had no more to give. But the sword in Chihiro's hand jerked.

"**USE ME**!" it shrieked.

Trembling, Chihiro gripped the jade dragon hilt with both hands and thrust it with all her might at the canyon wall. The sword sparked against the stone. There was a squeal of protesting metal and the sword howled in Chihiro's mind. A jolt went through Chihiro and her fall was halted. She gripped the hilt tightly, her knuckles cracking, she was hanging from the side of the ravine. Her shoulders and arms throbbed painfully in protest. She had already pulled and torn muscles in holding onto the bridge earlier. Her left shoulder had hit the canyon wall and was white hot agony. Sobbing and shaking with pain, Chihiro held on. She had to hold on; her child would never see the light of day if she didn't, her mate would never be freed, and he would never know he was a father.

"Point your toes and let go," said a voice very close to her ear. Chihiro yelled in fear and let go out of pure fright. She did not fall. Her feet hit solid ground and she landed on all fours. There was no light from the Tac' Tal to show her what she was standing on. Her palms felt cold stone, a ledge perhaps? She hugged her knees and tried to get her terrified sobs under control. She hurt all over and could not stop shaking. She rocked back and forward on the balls of her feet, desperately trying to gather her shattered wits. She was not alone, that much she knew.

"Wh… who is …th ...there?" she whispered between chattering teeth.

"I have many names," came the reply. "But you will probably know me as 'the night wind.'" The voice was low and clipped, almost cold sounding and very close to her.

Chihiro pressed her forehead against her knees. So he had come for her. She had survived only to be abducted or killed.

"Do whatever you came to do or go away," she hissed.

"I came to talk to you," was the reply. "Even if I wished you harm, I could not directly injure you. You are on a holy quest marked with the da'tant. I can inspire others to work against you but I cannot get directly involved as you are not an aggressor, just like my mother cannot deal with me directly as I am not threatening her directly. She can only use others and she is using you."

The voice moved closer; she could feel warm breath on her skin that smelt pleasantly of mint.

"Tell me, Chihiro, how do you expect to stop my plan when you reach me? How do you expect to free Kohaku?"

Chihiro rolled her forehead against her knees. She did not know.

"I bear you no ill will, Chihiro," said the voice, gently. "I actually envy the happiness you and your dragon have found. I am sure you will raise a strong child together."

Chihiro stilled; he knew about her baby. How could he know? Had he told Haku? She hoped not; her mate may act rashly if he knew his own offspring was also on the quest to save him.

"I will deprive you of his company no longer than I have to," said the voice. "But I do need him; he is strong so I am borrowing his power. I would not have to if I did not have a band of questers to deal with. I could focus all my attention on my spell and I would have no need to keep him." The voice got even closer; Chihiro thought she felt lips brush against her ear and she trembled again.

"Go home, Chihiro. Go home and I will return your dragon to you. When all this is over your parents will be able to see you as often as you wish. They will get to know their grandchild."

Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut.

"You lie," she spat. "What about all the humans you will kill? What about all the bonded spirits that will perish as a direct result of the billions of humans that die!"

"I do not lie," said the voice calmly. "Your parents would be the first people your mate bonded, I am sure. As for the deaths they are extremely unfortunate, but the current situation is unacceptable."

"The deaths are unacceptable!" growled Chihiro.

"The end will be the same no matter what happens. My way there will be death but it will be nothing compared to what will befall both our kinds if things are allowed to continue as they are," murmured the voice. It sounded slightly further away, as if the person speaking was sitting before her. Chihiro tried to remind herself that she was talking to the enemy; the trouble was he was not acting like an enemy. She was relaxing a little and listening to him, which was what he probably wanted.

"Think of it this way, Chihiro," he said softly. "If things stay on this course then many bonded spirits will die a slow death as humans increase in numbers and put more pressure on the land and oceans. Without spirit influence, large areas will become barren and infertile resulting in starvation. The famines will grow worse; wars will break out over small pockets of fertile ground and water that does not poison those who drink it. Humankind will be reduced to a few squabbling tribes and the land will take millennia to recover."

The voice sounded intolerably sad.

"I like your kind, Chihiro, I think you have made wonders and pushed yourselves to excel. I believe humankind is inherently good; I always have. But you have forgotten us, and we are suffering. You have direct experience of this. If your mate had not been as strong as he was he would have died the day his river was buried. He was lucky and severed the bond between himself and the water before the trauma to his river killed him. What if something like that would never happen again? It will be impossible once the worlds are joined."

The voice was growing louder and warmer as it spoke of its plans for the future of all beings.

"Human and spirit will have to co-exist; we have so much to learn from each other! Human development would increase exponentially with our help and guidance. We would live in harmony as we were meant to! Your race can be spared a descent into the Dark Ages, Chihiro, but only if sacrifices are made now."

Chihiro lifted her head; this was most interesting. She had assumed that Kenshin's motive would be vengeance; deposing his mother and taking her place in a world of his own image. But this was so much more; what was driving him was the suffering he foresaw. He wished to avoid the mutual destruction of both races.

Something in Chihiro rebelled at the assumption. Perhaps it was the pain she was in or all the extra adrenaline her system had experienced that day or maybe it was her hormones, but whatever it was, she was suddenly furious. She glared into the darkness, presuming he could see her even if she could not see him.

"I don't think I've ever been so patronised in my life," she said between clenched teeth.

She could almost feel the being across from her frown. She did not let him speak.

"You are assuming humankind cannot save itself? What makes you think we need any intervention?" she hissed. "Forgotten you we may have, but there is a growing awareness that our survival depends on the planet's health. Things are changing already; new laws being passed and new technology being invented that runs cleanly. In a few generations who knows what we will be doing or how we will be doing it?"

"Chihiro…" the voice whispered, trying to interject. "It may be too late by then."

"How do you know?" she shouted. "Can you see the future? Not even your mother can do that! Who gave you the right to decide the worlds' fate? You are making the same mistake your mother did when the rift was created. Humans were given no choice then and you are giving us no choice now!"

"I am correcting a mistake!" insisted the spirit, raising his voice at last. "This is an unnatural situation; it was never meant to be!"

"Whether it was meant to be or not has no bearing on the situation!" Chihiro yelled back. "We have done the best we can; we cannot be blamed for our ignorance! You say you like humankind? I still call you a liar; if you had any respect for us at all you would have faith in us and allow us to find our own way!"

There was silence. Chihiro could sense anger; it chilled her but she refused to take back her words. This thing had put both her and her child in danger through some twisted notion that he was saviour to the worlds. She would not forgive him for such arrogance.

"I had hoped to make you understand," said the voice at last and there was a hard edge to the words this time. "The sacrifices made now are the only way to avoid a bleak future." The voice moved closer. "I feel in my heart I am right, Chihiro." He whispered, breath ghosting over her skin. "If you continue with this idiotic quest; if you let my mother use you; then you will be setting yourself against my will."

Chihiro nearly cried out when a strong, long fingered hand ran over her hair and settled at the back of her neck. She stiffened instinctively; tense, ready to pull away.

"I asked the rocs to destroy the bridge as you crossed it," he breathed. "I wanted to show you how very easy it would for you to die… human." The hand at the back of her neck tightened, keeping her in place.

"Pit yourself against me, Chihiro, and you will see a side of me I would rather you didn't. I will not be saving you next time. If you die on this quest it will not be by my hand, but it may be by my command. I cannot afford to go around creating ground for you to land on or diverting rock falls, only for you to recover and turn against me." The hand tightened again and Chihiro whimpered in pain. "Cross me and I will deal with you ruthlessly. I'm old and can use magic in ways you cannot even imagine. This is what must be and I will not be diverted from my plan by talk of possible tomorrows. I know what is now and I do not share your optimism. The worlds will be one and your daughter will be raised in safety in a world where she will not feel uncomfortable with her dual nature." The hand released her and Chihiro let go of a breath she did not realise she was holding.

"For the sake of your child and mate, reconsider," whispered the voice, now sounding far away. "Or the next time we meet it will be when you are offering me your unconditional surrender."

"Go home," the voice ordered, now a mere echo in her ears. "Go home and live safely."

Chihiro clenched her fists. His threat had frightened her. She had barely survived her fall and that was with him not trying to kill her. What would happen when he really resolved to dispose of her? He had hit her weak point too; there was not just her life to consider. That was something she knew she was going to agonise over. What were two lives when weighed against the billions would perish? But then again this was her child. She had to protect it.

"If she can keep placing one foot before the other she will walk on through the haze," quoted Chihiro. That was what the 'night wind' had tried to do; muddy her thoughts with his own conviction and madness. She was on the true path and while he was not evil as she had first pictured him, he was still dangerous and could not be allowed to prevail.

She sat for some moments, ordering her thoughts. That was when she heard a pitiful whine; or rather she felt it in her mind. She jumped upright, placing her feet carefully, still not sure how large a ledge she was on; Haku's sword was calling her.

"I'm coming," she called. The sound echoed through her mind again, piteous, urgent and pained. "Where are you?" Chihiro croaked, feeling the wall above her head. "I can't see you!" Her throat was dry and sore from all the screaming and shouting she had done and her voice was rapidly failing her.

Her hand brushed against smooth polished stone.

"There you are," Chihiro sighed. She had to stand on her toes but she managed to grab the hilt above her and pull. It came away easily. It was probably the sword's own magic that had held it in place when she was clinging to it.

"It's alright, I've got you," she cooed to the blade as if it was a small child. But the normally obnoxious blade was strangely silent. With careful hands Chihiro felt down the hilt to the blade. The highly polished steel blade she remembered was twisted beyond recognition, it was also much shorter than she remembered; it was missing at least half of its length. The keening whine echoed through her head again. It could not talk to her anymore. Chihiro bit her trembling lip and hugged the hilt to her in the darkness.

"You saved my life," she whispered. "I'll fix you; you'll be as good as new in no time!" But Chihiro had little idea how to repair a magic blade. She felt incredibly guilty; she had never liked the weapon and yet it had saved her.

Chihiro crouched down and waited. She was sure Linca was looking for her; it was just a question of time before she was found. How she was going to get out of the canyon was another matter. It was then she realised that she did not hurt at all. All her aches and pains, every bruise and pulled muscle, had vanished.

Kenshin had healed her.

* * *

**How much do you love me? A very quick update… well … for me. I'd like to thank Dimac for picking her brains about climbing and for a super quick betaing job. **

**I have a buddy map on my live journal. I thought it would be fun to know where you all are. The link to my livejournal is on my profile**.


	28. Stevie

**Stevie leaves his Mom in San** **Francisco **

Scott heard Chihiro long before he found her.

"Whether it was meant to be or not has no bearing on the situation!" he heard, her rapid, rolling voice was bordering on shrieking. Whoever she was yelling at had made her very angry. "We have done the best we can; we cannot be blamed for our ignorance! You say you like humankind? I still call you a liar; if you had any respect for us at all you would have faith in us and allow us to find our own way!"

The elation Scott had felt on hearing her voice was short lived. He could not hear the replies to her shouts but he could guess who she was talking to; the enemy had found her. Heart beating rapidly in fear for her, Scott beckoned to what he was now calling the 'Rin light'. The small glowing orb floated towards him.

"Get beneath my feet and light the way under me…" he ordered, feeling ridiculous talking to the thing. "Err… please…" he struggled.

The light obediently floated to below his feet. Looking down, Scott could see the cavern wall below him was fairly straight and smooth, just as the seventy feet above him had been. He had slipped once on the flat rock, grazing his knees, but that had been his only mishap. The mouth of the canyon appeared to be hundreds of feet above him and the optical illusion was disconcerting. Both Rin and the nygel's faces occasionally peered over the edge to look for him but it was obvious the unnatural blackness had closed over him. Their eyes swept over him with no recognition.

Scott made a minor adjustment to his rope and descender. He murmured a prayer to a god he did not believe in, just in case; he needed all the help he could get. Besides, reciting the words that had been drilled into him at Sunday School cleared his mind and helped him focus. He hoped he would get to her in time. What he would do against a vastly powerful spirit he had no idea. But he still had Phyllis; he was not without a way to defend himself, even if she would have to do all the work. He was certainly no swordsman. In fact the sword was at that moment chuckling away in his head at his prayer. The grandmotherly voice was welcome, even if she was teasing him.

"_No man dies an atheist, boy,"_ she laughed.

"I have no intention of dying yet," he muttered under his breath.

"_Good,"_ replied the sword. _"Your family are expecting you back, remember? The Brownie will only be able to keep them blind a few more weeks." _

"I know," he grumbled. He braced his feet against the cliff and bent his knees.

"_Is this a bad time to mention I get motion sick?"_ asked Phyllis.

Scott ignored her, sure she was joking. He jumped away from the ravine side with all the power and spring his tired legs could muster. He let go of the rope and plunged down into the blackness, leaving the floating light orb bobbing and disorientated in his wake.

He jerked to a halt sharply when he hit the knot in the end of his rope. He swore colourfully; he had given himself whiplash and his harness had not been kind to him.

"Who... who's there?" a frightened voice whispered above him. Scott sighed and rested his forehead against the rope for a moment.

He had gone past her.

"Y… You can't frighten me!" The voice above him wobbled, giving evidence to the contrary. "I won't give up! I'm doing this for me! No one else… for me!" she yelled into the blackness. Scott winced as the echoes of her shrill voice assaulted his ears from all directions.

"Chihiro, it's me," he called out gently.

"Scott?" she hissed. "Is this a trick?" she asked suspiciously.

"No," he replied tiredly, "and I can prove it." He grinned to himself in the darkness. "You like my knees. In fact, you couldn't stop looking at them when I escorted you to a certain party…" He left the statement hanging; it was something only he knew so it could only be him talking. He remembered well her reaction to seeing him in formal Highland dress. It seemed so long ago now. She was far from the only one who admired him either. Scott had often wondered what sort of reaction he would get if he walked around downtown Tokyo in his kilt.

There was silence above him.

"… I'd forgotten about that..." she said at last.

He could hear the smile in her voice. Scott was pleased with himself for calming her down and putting a smile on her face. He began to laboriously climb up the rope. The rope was very thin so his arms had to do all the work. He grunted and panted as he pulled himself upwards inch by painful inch. His shoulders screamed at him in protest but Phyllis chatted to him encouragingly.

"_That's it boy… hand over hand… it's the only way… you'll be there in no time…"_

The floating light orb caught up with him. It bobbed above his head, illuminating the ledge above and the pale face watching him from over the edge of it.

"Hullo," he grunted, grinning up at her. Well, trying to grin but he was sure it came out as more of a grimace. "Sorry I missed you; then again if I had hit your ledge I would have broken both my legs." He strained and lifted himself a little higher. He finally had enough rope below him to pin between his feet, taking the pressure off his shoulders a little. A small hand extended down towards him.

"Grab on," she ordered. He hesitated; he could pull her right off the ledge; he was a lot heavier than she was. "Grab on," she repeated.

Freeing one hand, he gripped her forearm and she did the same. She pulled; he was surprised, she seemed to be using something on the ledge to brace herself against. Sweating and gritting her teeth she pulled him level with the ledge. He let go of her and the rope to grip the ledge. He hung for a moment, getting his breath back. This was easier; he could handle an overhang without difficulty. He pulled himself up, getting his chin then his chest over the ledge. Chihiro latched onto him and pulled at his collar, helping him. He got his elbows onto the ledge than shifted his weight and swung his right leg over the edge. One more push and he ungracefully scrambled onto the ledge, panting and dripping with sweat.

Chihiro was smiling at him, her soft brown eyes shining in the light of the glowing orb. "You're such an idiot," she chuckled.

"Who else is going to get you out of here? The horse?" he shot back, insulted by her apparent ingratitude. "Now just say 'thank you' and let me get my breath back."

"Thank you," she said readily and ruffled his sopping hair in a motherly fashion. He pulled a face at her and shifted further onto the ledge, putting his back against the blessedly cool rock wall. He looked around the sizeable ledge; it was smooth and rounded, not like the angular edges of the ravine mouth.

"Kenshin made it," Chihiro said, answering his unasked question. She proceeded to tell him of her meeting with their nemesis and her surprise at his lack of malice towards her.

"He even healed me," she murmured, staring into the blackness. "He's not what I expected at all."

"There are very few people who are totally evil," murmured Scott.

"_Quite right, boy,"_ Phyllis prattled in his head. _"Even Hitler was kind to his dogs."_

Scott ignored the old sword, wishing she would be silent again. He wondered how Chihiro coped with hers; it was a lot more temperamental than Phyllis, it had almost killed her once.

His eyes fell on the piece of twisted metal, at Chihiro's feet. It was broken well beyond repair. It would need a new blade forged for it. It must have been what Chihiro had been bracing herself against; it was still stuck in the stone at her feet. It must have still been sharp to bite into the stone. Without thinking he reached for it.

"NO! WAIT!" Chihiro yelled and lunged for him, but he had already closed his hand over the hilt.

Nothing happened. The sword was silent.

"Now that really was idiotic! Do you know what happened to me when I touched that thing without its permission?" Chihiro ranted on, but Scott was not listening to her, he was listening to Phyllis.

"_Oh, the poor thing! So loyal to its maker!" _

"Where's your maker?" asked Scott, pulling the sword from the rock. It slid out easily, indicating it still had power. "Shouldn't you be loyal to them?"

"_Now that would be telling,"_ chuckled the sword. _"It's best your family forget about him. You're the only one who knows what I am anyway. Besides, I was a gift; it's not as if he will come back to get me."_

Scott inspected the blade of the broken sword. It was almost bent back on itself. There were stress fractures all over the steel; it could fall apart at any moment.

"_Take me out, deary, the girl needs her sword back,"_ commanded Phyllis.

Scott rummaged in the light pack he had strapped to his back before he threw himself over the edge of the gorge. Between the energy bars and water he had shoved in the sword. He pulled her out carefully. The short sword glowed in the dim light, her bronze picking up the light and scattering it in a way steel never could. The Celtic knot patterns etched in the blade almost appeared to wink at him.

"_I guess my association with your family will end here, boy, I'm about to change ownership,"_ declared the sword sadly.

"What do you mean?" asked Scott.

"_The Japanese girl needs a sword; she needs my help more than you do. Ask the spirit wench you like so much to fix you up with a few daggers. I estimate she has at least twenty spirit made blades hidden on her person."_

Scott blinked at the blade. He wondered where Rin kept all those weapons; he had felt nothing when he hugged her. His mind pondered the problem for a split second, then he shoved the thought away. There were far too many interesting places Rin might hide her blades.

"So you want me to give you to Chihiro?" he asked the sword in his hand. His eyes flicked to the silent young woman kneeling across from him. She was sitting quietly on her heels, hands resting in her lap. She must have guessed his one sided conversation was not the result of madness and she was patiently waiting for him to finish, knowing it would be rude to interrupt. How very Japanese of her. Linca would be howling for attention by now, demanding to know what Phyllis was saying.

He realised he had told Rin the truth, he did love Chihiro. He wanted to look after her but that was now the only emotion she provoked in him. She was a dear friend who needed help, but he still hesitated over giving her his family's sword.

"_You are a numpty,"_ sighed the sword, borrowing a home grown insult. _"You're not giving her me. I'm going to fix her poor weapon. I won't be around after." _

"You're going to kill yourself!" he asked, shocked. "I can't let you do that!"

"_You're a sweet boy but incredibly dense,"_ chuckled the sword. _"I can't die; I'm not alive to begin with." _

"I am not going to argue philosophy with you," growled Scott. "You're alive."

"_I am not going to kill myself,"_ sighed the sword. _"I'm going to join myself to the broken one. We will make a new blade that will be neither me or the blade the dragon made. We will make a new weapon just for Chihiro. One much more suited to a female."_

"But where will you go?" asked Scott anxiously.

"_I'll be there, but different. Think of it as being reborn,"_ said the sword wistfully. _"I'm actually looking forward to it. I've been in this form a long time and I'm a little out of fashion now. It's the right time for a change. Of course joining with a dragon made katana was never something I envisaged doing, but it should make an interesting result." _

Scott still hesitated. He did not want the blade to leave him.

"_I'm a weapon, boy, don't get sentimental. I exist to protect my owner and cut my owner's enemies into little bloody chunks,"_ snapped the blade. _"I'm needed elsewhere, now let me go." _

"Chihiro would not like this," he said stubbornly. Chihiro herself merely raised an eyebrow, but did not interrupt.

"_Lit me gae, wean,"_ sighed the sword using his local dialect for effect. _"Pit me doun."_

The sword sounded so much like Scott's grandmother that he found himself obeying without really thinking.

He rested Phyllis next to the broken sword. No sooner had his hand left the blade when there was a flash of bright white light. Chihiro and Scott's eyes had adjusted to the gloomy light from the Rin light. Both shouted and covered their faces as daggers of light pierced their fully open irises.

Seconds ticked by; finally Scott peeped between a tiny crack in his fingers, letting only the smallest chink of light get to his still aching eyes. What he saw made his hands fall limply to his sides. Chihiro had evidently recovered before him and was holding a sword. Just as Phyllis had said, the blade had been repaired, but of Phyllis there was no sign. She had gone. For a moment Scott felt intolerably sad. He had liked the old sword even if she irritated him at times.

However, he could not help but gaze in awe at the new weapon that had been made. He did not know much about swords but even he could appreciate its beauty. The blade was in a black lacquered scabbard that shone dully in the Rin light. Chihiro ran her fingers over the scabbard reverently, murmuring to herself as she went.

"It's the same size as a wakizashi… so light…! It still has the original sword's square tsuba but the jade has gone…" she gripped the now very ordinary looking hilt. "The hilt wrapping is rough… I think it's ray skin." She eyed Scott for a moment.

"Do you think I could take the saya off?" she wondered out loud.

"It's your sword," he chuckled. "Unless it has any objections you can do what you like."

"It's not talking to me," she murmured sadly. "I don't know if it can." Hesitantly she gripped the scabbard and pulled.

The blade slid free easily. It was not slightly curved like the original katana. It was short and straight like Phyllis had been, but much thinner, like the dragon's sword. It was double edged and had a hair thin blood channel running down the middle of it. The tip was needle thin and looked extremely sharp. But what was most beautiful about the blade was that it was butter yellow in colour. A brighter colour than Phyllis had been, it sparkled under the light and presented Scott with a distorted reflection of his face.

"Is that gold?" he asked.

"No," replied Chihiro. "It's far too light, and gold is far too soft a metal to make a sword out of." She changed her grip on the blade and swung it experimentally. It sliced lazily through the air with a whoosh. Chihiro then tilted the blade up and balanced the end of the hilt on the palm of her hand. The weapon wobbled for a moment and then remained motionlessly upright.

"Perfectly weighted," she muttered.

"When did you learn so much about swords?" asked Scott. Chihiro laid the sword down and slipped the lacquered wooden saya back over it.

"Rin's been teaching me to fight for months. I'm very bad at it have had barely graduated from not slicing myself up with a dagger." She smiled wistfully at the blade. "Haku tried to explain how he had made his sword to me once. I was not really that interested. He said when I learnt a little more about them I would change my mind." She smiled at the blade. "I guess he was right. This is a beautiful weapon, though I will miss his. As malicious as it was, it was his. It was like having a bit of him with me."

"It's the same weapon, Chihiro," murmured Scott. "It's just more practical for you to use now and it has a bit of Phyllis in it as an added bonus."

"Are you two going to chatter all afternoon or are you actually going to work on a way to get out of here?" snapped an accented voice.

Linca was sitting cross legged behind Scott on the very edge of the ledge.

"How long have you been there?" asked Scott irritably. The sprite had startled him.

"Long enough," said the sprite with a smile. "Owls fly silently."

She rummaged in her white travel-stained tunic and pulled out a black mass of material.

"Look what I found," she announced, pleased with herself. She threw the bundle at Chihiro who grabbed it and grinned; it was the flying cloak.

"And as for huddling here like frightened lambs, well, it's totally pointless; the bottom of the canyon is only a few meters below you."

"You've got to be kidding me," groaned Scott.

"Trust me, if you hang off the edge of the ledge your feet will only be a metre from the bottom." She chortled and grinned at him impishly. "Betcha feel stupid now, after all that heroic abseiling. You did not need to come down here at all. If you had waited for me to find Chi I could have got her out on her own." She frowned at Scott. "Now Rin is all on her own and is going to have to find her own way around the canyon so she can meet up with the nag."

"Like she would want me there," scoffed Scott. "I'd just slow her down. She'll be fine on her own."

"She may have appreciated your company," retorted Linca. "True she may have needed to carry you on her back because she can run a lot faster than you but I don't think that would have bothered you too much." Linca grinned again at the now very uncomfortable young man.

"Shut up, white eyes," he growled. "You know you were prettier when you were blonde and had pupils."

"Ouch, that hurt so much!" cried Linca dramatically into the blackness, holding her hand over her heart as if wounded. "Scott does not think I'm pretty! My, how will I recover?" she chuckled sarcastically. "Except the fourteen lovers I've had in the past year may disagree with you…" she said huskily and leered at the redheaded young man. Scott sighed and shook his head.

"That does not make you pretty Linca, that just makes you a slu…"

"Scott!" cried Chihiro indignantly. "Don't you dare call her that!"

Chihiro shook herself and finally pulled her herself away from admiring her new sword. She eyed the bickering pair severely.

"Linca, stop teasing Scott; he was worried about me and I'm glad he came for me. He even gave up his weapon to fix mine." She turned her attention to Scott. "And you stop antagonising Linca. You know she is only joking with you, stop taking it so personally."

Scott rolled his eyes and muttered something only Linca could hear.

"Oh, cheer up, carrot top," jeered Linca. "We'll get you back to your beloved Rin soon enough."

Scott clenched his hands into fists and scrunched his eyes shut in an effort to keep his temper. The sprite really was too much for him to take. He was tired and hurt all over.

"Besides what right have you to be calling me names?" she asked huffily.

"Linca…" said Chihiro in a warning tone.

"It's not fair," said the sprite, folding her arms. "If I was a man people would call me a stud for bedding fourteen women. But no! Because I have breasts the rules change, I'm suddenly a harlot!"

"I'd call you the same even if you were a man," growled Scott.

"This is not the human world, boy," hissed Linca. "Here we are not afraid of our instincts and needs. We do not hide behind hypocritical moralities out of an idiotic sense of shame and fear. We are…"

Linca was cut off by Chihiro swearing violently, gripping her sword and jumping off the ledge into the blackness.

"Once you two have decided who is right, feel free to follow me," echoed her voice out of the darkness.

The pair looked at each other.

"Sorry," murmured Scott sullenly to the sprite.

"Me too," sighed Linca with a sigh. "I guess we're just tired." There was silence for a moment.

"I… I don't sleep around for the fun of it." said Linca unsteadily. "I've not done that for hundreds of years… I'm just looking for something," she murmured, struggling.

"If you're looking for love I suggest you may be going about it the wrong way," he murmured back, slightly embarrassed to be discussing Linca's love life.

"I'm not looking for love," chuckled Linca dryly. "Just someone to be with who won't be too demanding. Companionship more than anything is what I need." She leant forward and her nimble fingers began to undo the knots on Scott's climbing harness. "Someone who will not get too clingy. The problem is I never find what I need; they all get clingy." She tutted at a particularly awkward figure of eight knot. Scott frowned at the top of her white head.

"Do you think you are un-loveable?" he asked shrewdly.

"I know I'm lovable," she laughed. "But I don't want that. I've been in love once and it cost me a term of servitude."

Scott was silent. He let the sprite undo his rope and help him out of his harness. He puzzled over her words. He wondered if Linca was actually nursing a broken heart. Perhaps she had been so badly hurt that she was never going to let anyone in ever again. He felt sorry for her and it must have shown on his face.

"You're a nice boy," she laughed, patting him on the head patronisingly. "But it's not what you think. This is my choice, until I forgive myself I can't let anyone love me…" she trailed off, her white eyes unreadable. "Chi was the first person I've let myself love for a long time… that's enough for now," she muttered.

Scott decided he didn't like Linca when she was being serious. He may not know what her history was, but he now suspected he may not like what she was hiding. He resolved a change of subject was in order.

"What? You don't love me?" he asked with a grin. "I'm your best friend and you don't love me?"

"Who said you were my best friend?" asked Linca with a frown.

"I did," replied Scott, standing stiffly. He yanked at his rope; it was still firmly tethered far above him. He was going to have to leave it behind.

"Oh move over you big… soft… thing…" snorted Linca, struggling for words and pushing at him. Scott could tell she was pleased, however; she liked that he regarded her as his friend.

She yanked once on the rope and it vanished, reappearing in her hands, neatly coiled.

"Wow," murmured Scott, impressed. "I think I'm getting to like this magic stuff."

Linca smiled and shoved the rope in his pack.

"We better catch up with the dragoness," she sighed. "She'll be stumbling around in the dark and she was heading in the wrong direction."

Scott laughed loudly and told the Rin light to float below him. Linca had been correct. His feet had probably been inches from the bottom when he had got to the end of the rope. Suddenly a thought struck him.

"What about Rin?" he asked.

"What about her?" asked Linca in return.

"Will she know where to meet us?" Scott knew Rin was more than capable of looking after herself, but she should know that they had at least found Chihiro safe and that they were gone to walk the length of the chasm along the bottom. Linca sighed and struggled with her irritation a moment.

"I already thought of that," she said patiently. "I told her we had found an old shadow spirit travel way, which is what we are going to be walking on. We would meet her at the exit. She's just got to find it. She'll have the water horse to help her when they finally get round the canyon."

Linca jumped and landed gracefully on the ground below.

"When did you tell her that?" asked Scott, still confused, jumping and landing much less gracefully. Linca stamped her foot angrily.

"I'm a spirit, moron; I can communicate with a fellow spirit using my power over short distances. Someone like Haku, however, can do it practically over one side of this world to the other, which is why we are all so worried about him. He must be cut off from his power." Linca pursed her lips. "This 'windy' person-thing must be powerful if he can subdue a dragon."

They walked in silence for a moment; the rock beneath Scott's feet was perfectly smooth.

"What did you say this place was?" he asked, deciding to risk the sprite's displeasure at his lack of knowledge.

"A shadow spirit travel way," she replied evenly, apparently resigned to educating him. "This part of the spirit world is riddled with them. They normally go underground but this one follows the canyon. A long time ago the shadow people used to fear the sun; it burned them. So they built these tunnels to travel by day. Linca looked up at the black above them. They could not see the sky anymore. "There must be a spell on this place to make it this dark," she mused. "It's not deep enough to be this black down here naturally." Scott scratched his head.

"I could be being very stupid…" he sighed.

"Probably," chuckled Linca.

"…But weren't the shadow spirits the ones who attacked the bathhouse? In which case, shouldn't we _not_ be using the road the spirits that want us dead use?"

"Give the boy a prize!" laughed Linca. "Top marks." Scott gave her a warning look. "They don't use these places anymore," Linca explained. "They abandoned them centuries ago."

"Why?" asked Scott.

"Because someone cured them of their sensitivity to the sun so they don't need them now," she said softly. "And as they are working for our enemy I can give a pretty good guess as to who did that for them. They have no loyalty other than to themselves; they must owe our enemy something big for them to get involved with affairs that are outside their tribe."

Scott was about to ask another question when Chihiro's form was illuminated by the Rin light. She was holding a small glass vial in her hand, staring at it intently.

"Chi?" asked Linca, trotting up to her. "Chi, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," murmured Chihiro. "Just bring the light over here, I need to see something." The Rin light obediently floated over.

"What is that?" asked Linca gesturing to Chihiro's hand.

"An indicator," murmured Chihiro. "The river gave it to me so I would know how it was doing." She held the vial up. The water inside was stained light pink.

"It was vibrating in my pocket," she sighed. "It was trying to tell me that it's weaker now. It wasted a lot of energy to slow me down as I fell. When this water goes black the river is dead."

She closed her hand around the vial.

"Which could kill Haku," Linca murmured, understanding.

"He could live without it," said Chihiro softly. "But it would be like ripping his heart out. He is the river and it would… Well, I would not like to have to see him live apart from it. It hurt him enough the last time he was separated from it."

"So what you are saying is that we now have a time limit?" asked Scott worriedly.

Chihiro opened her mouth to reply but instead looked down as something tugged at the cloth of her travelling tunic. A small boy looked up at her; she guessed he could have only been around four years of age. He had short curly blond hair and light blue eyes. He had been crying. He wiped his hand over his running nose and sniffed.

"Where's my Mom?" he asked in a drawling accent.

Chihiro blinked. The child was wearing blue jeans, trainers and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt. He was human.

Chihiro blinked again. It was hard to believe an American human child was pulling on the hem of her tunic. Where had he come from? It was not possible!

"Chihiro," whispered Scott in a strained voice. Chihiro looked up at him and saw he was pointing behind her. Chihiro turned around.

Behind her, against the wall of the canyon was what appeared to be a crack in the rock. Light was streaming through it. Murmuring softly to the lost child she took him by his small hand; it was sticky with melted ice-cream. She walked towards the light, Scott and Linca followed her.

"You talk funny," observed the child.

Chihiro realised that he probably heard her as speaking Japanese. She crouched down and peered into the light shining out of the rock. Scott took over childminding for a moment, asking the child what his name was and where he was from. Stevie was from Mulberry Avenue, but exactly were that was he was a little hazy on, but Mrs Robertson lived next door. Chihiro waited for her eyes to adjust to the light beaming from the stone. What she saw took her breath away.

There was a concrete walkway on the other side of the light, with a high wall surrounding it. There were coin operated telescopes mounted on the wall at regular intervals. Some were being used by tourists to look out over the azure blue sea and the rocky, sparsely vegetated hills on the other side of the bay. The sun shone brightly overhead. Chihiro could feel the warm sea breeze against her face, smell the salt in the air and hear sea gulls calling to each other. But what really grabbed her attention was the massive structure she could see part of on her left; a huge, red painted, iron suspension bridge.

"Mommy!" Stevie cried out, and pulled away from Scott. He ran through the rift and latched onto a dark haired woman in her mid thirties. The woman picked the child up, cooing to him and stroking his hair. The child babbled about the 'dark place' to her. She chuckled at him and turned in the direction his chubby finger pointed in. She frowned, as if seeing something she could not make sense of, then paled.

Chihiro did not know what to do. The woman was staring directly at her and was so pale Chihiro thought she may faint. Stevie's mother clutched her child to her and trembled. Chihiro swallowed and nodded to her. She tried to tell the woman just by looking at her that she was not some evil monster who had tried to take her child, she had guided him back. Understanding dawned on the woman's face, though she was still terrified. Chihiro could not blame her; staring into an inter-dimensional rift and seeing a stranger would have frightened her too if she had had not contact with the spirit world. The woman shakily inclined her head to Chihiro in return, thanking her.

Suddenly there was a sucking sound and the rift before Chihiro's face snapped shut with a small click, just as if someone had thrown a light switch. The two humans and the spirit stared at the now featureless rock wall for some minutes.

"Where was that?" asked Linca in a small voice.

"San Francisco Bay," murmured Scott. "That must have been an observation platform for tourists to ogle the Golden Gate Bridge."

"We are nowhere near a solstice or equinox. All rifts should be closed… This is Kenshin's doing" whispered Chihiro.

"If that child had not found his way back so quickly he would have vanished," hissed Linca. She looked at Chihiro, her white eyes shining in the dim Rin light. "There will be others," she said softly. "They will probably die."

"I know," replied Chihiro. "That is why we must hurry."

* * *

Quick glossary

Wean- Scottish vernacular for child.

Tsuba- Hand guard/hilt of a sword.

Saya- Scabbard

Have fan art to share too. Link is on my profile page.


	29. Sweet Revelations

_**Sweet Revelations.**_

Haku snorted as he woke. He realised the sound of his cell door opening had disturbed him. He did not remember falling asleep; he lost consciousness quite easily in his weakened state. He did not remember how long he had been in his cell; all he knew was that the moon had gone through a complete cycle. It was one of the few things he could still sense while severed from his river. He could still feel that irresistible pull that the moon had on liquid. His river may not be as affected as an ocean was, but the moon still governed it. He always felt more energetic on a night of the full moon and slightly more lethargic on a night of the new moon. Even though his river was now underground he could still feel the wax and wane of the moon. The moon was waning towards the new moon and it was making him feel worse than he usually did. He was almost pleased to be woken by his overbearing and irritating jailor.

"Good morning lizard!" cried Yubaba cheerfully. Her throaty voice was already setting Haku's teeth on edge. She smelt of cigarette smoke too. He hated the smell of all those poisonous chemicals in the air, they made his sensitive nose run and his eyes water slightly. Why spirits enjoyed inhaling the nauseating smoke was beyond him and why humans did it was even more of a puzzlement. Chihiro had told him that the habit killed them. His heart throbbed painfully at the thought of his mate and he sighed heavily. The separation was starting to take a toll on him. For once his mate actually had an advantage. She was human and was not as sensitive to the bond between them as he was. She would not be suffering yet, not at the level he was. He ached for her every waking minute, another reason perhaps that he slept so much. He longed to smell her scent in the dry air, just a breath of her and his pain would ease slightly. He was so lonely without her and his need to be with her was growing daily. If he had his power he would not be feeling the separation so acutely, he could arm himself against the symptoms. But without his power and his river he had been made extremely vulnerable.

"So how are you today?" chirruped Yubaba. "I hope I am not going to have to force feed you again?" the ancient witch gestured to a stool she had placed in the room a few days ago. Haku growled under his breath, he hated that stool.

"Get over here Haku," snapped the witch. "Or I'll get a shadow spirit in here to make you do as I ask and they will not be gentle about it." Haku rolled his eyes but struggled to his feet, angrily yanking at the chain that shackled him too the wall. It was getting heavier. He staggered to the stool and sat on it, slumping as much as possible. Yubaba looked into his eyes down his throat. Then lifted his shirt to check if he was still losing weight. Haku growled through the whole process, the sound rising and falling like some angry insect. He could not help himself, there was only one person who he had ever allowed to get this close, and she was far away from him at that moment. Yubaba prodded at his stomach and he snarled at her. He longed to sink his fangs into that haggard old flesh. Yubaba however was well used to his antics by now and knew when he had had enough of her. She took the snarl as a warning and backed away.

"You've lost weight again," she mumbled to herself. "Didn't the potion I gave you ease the stomach cramps?" Haku said nothing, he merely glared at her. He was feeling tired again already. It was good news that he was still losing weight, he had a plan.

Yubaba sighed and turned to the bowl of food she had brought with her. She uncovered the bowl and the most delicious scent filled the air making Haku sway on his stool for a moment. Saliva rushed to his mouth and he almost whimpered. Yubaba grinned and pushed the bowl towards him. It contained what looked like prime fillet stake. Buffalo, his nose told him, and so raw it was still warm from when the animal was alive. The meat swam with fresh blood. Haku refused to give into his inner carnivore however, he lifted a piece of flesh with his finger and thumb and placed it on his tongue. It was divine. He forced himself to eat the meat slowly and Yubaba watched him eat every bite. She was still mystified as to why he was getting thinner when she was feeding him the best food Kenshin's palace could provide. It had been lobster the day before and venison the day before that. Haku guessed the old witch was worried Kenshin would be angry if Haku's health deteriorated too far. He was after all a vital source of power for the insane air spirit.

He picked up his bowl and drank the blood in it. The blood was luke warm but still delicious. He sighed and put the bowl down. He waited expectantly. This was the routine, if he sat through his weekly health inspections, ate the food he was given and took all the medicine Yubaba ordered him too without protest then he would get a reward. It galled him that he had fallen so easily into what his captors wanted but it was the only way he could get what he craved… news of his mate.

"She is still headed this way," sighed Yubaba heavily. "She is moving faster than we ever thought she would but it appears her companions have been very resourceful about helping the humans in the party to travel quickly." Yubaba shook her head. "Kenshin's made contact with her."

Haku's eyes widened, he clenched his hands into fists, if Kenshin had hurt her then he would tear out his throat at the earliest opportunity.

"He gave her a little scare, nothing to worry about," said Yubaba quickly. "He really does not want to hurt her. He is trying to get her to turn back." Haku's eyes narrowed. He knew better than to ask what had happened, Yubaba never gave him specifics.

"Kenshin will not attack her directly; she is on a holy quest after all." The witch continued. "Strong and ancient magic protects questers. Until they reach his lands he will not be able to act against them directly. But there are other ways to hinder her and he will use every trick he can to break her will."

"That won't happen," said Haku forcefully. Yubaba frowned.

"How do you know?" The witch asked. "I thought you would want your mate safe, not running across the spirit world facing innumerable dangers and convinced she can both rescue you and complete the mission the gods have given her." The witch almost seemed angry at him. He raised an eyebrow, now this was interesting, the witch wanted Chihiro to be safe.

"I would have preferred she had stayed at the bathhouse, yes," he replied calmly. "But I know her, she is loyal and she is human." Yubaba blinked, not understanding.

"If you knew humans at all you would know how tenacious and stubborn they are." He said with a slight chuckle. "My human is no different."

"You're a fool," scoffed Yubaba. "Your human is going to get herself killed."

"If that happens then the blood will be on your hands witch," Haku growled in reply. "Yours and your benefactors, and I will have my revenge if you harm her." He bared his teeth in a macabre grin. Yubaba snorted at him.

"Keep telling yourself that dragon, but you can do nothing as you are," she scoffed.

"Oh I'll get free," he said cheerfully. He held his head on one side and imagined himself disembowelling his jailor, knowing she would be able to see from his eyes that he was picturing her end. "It's just a question of time witch," he whispered threateningly. "I cannot be held here forever. Kenshin gets weaker every day; once I am free of his spell I will be stronger than he is."

He watched Yubaba take in what he had said, judging by the worried look on her face she had not thought of the possibility of him besting Kenshin in his current state. She had forgotten that Kenshin was weakening at the same rate he was, perhaps even faster. The spirit would be pouring unknowable amounts of energy into his misguided spell. He would quite possibly kill himself before it was even complete. Yubaba gave another derisory snort, but was not at all convincing. She swept out of the room without another word.

Haku grunted with satisfaction, threatening Yubaba was one of the few things that gave him pleasure. It kept him sane. He knew what she would be thinking. He had been severed from his river once before and she had taken him on as an apprentice. She had helpfully taught him nearly everything she knew. He may not have the power of his river; he would need to be in physical contact with it before he could rebuild that bond. But he was one of the few bonded spirits that had lived as a non bonded spirit. He knew their magic and he could use it to fight. He was by no means helpless, all he had to do was get the shackle around his waist off and he would be free to wreak havoc on Kenshin and his plans. But he had to get the shackle off first.

He sighed and slipped off the stool. He crawled to the corner of the cell and dug at the sand on the floor. When his fingers felt stone he found the edges of it and lifted. His arms shook with the effort to lift the buried paving stone, he really was getting weak, but it was necessary. Once he had lifted the floor slab his sensitive nose was assaulted with the smell of rancid food mixed with the acrid scent of stomach juices, just to make it completely disgusting. It made him gag, that was what he wanted. But his stomach needed a little more encouragement. He sighed and stuck a finger down his throat. He gagged and coughed and saliva dribbled into the hole he had dug into the sand under the stone. His stomach heaved, rolled and he finally vomited the meat he had swallowed only minutes before. It did not take his stomach long to empty itself and soon he was dribbling bile into the hole. He shuddered and swallowed, the bile stinging his throat and mouth, making his eyes stream. He pushed the stone over the hole and covered it up with sand. He grabbed a water bottle and rinsed his mouth out.

He hated doing this but it was the only way he was going to get the shackle around his waist off. He had decided to starve himself. He had already lost quite a bit of his body weight and he had only been vomiting his meals for a week. The band round his middle was already loose. He did not want to make himself too feeble however, so he kept down every third meal. It would be a slow process, but he estimated that in about two weeks he would be able to slip the shackle over his hips.

It was a shame he could not transform, he would have slipped out of the shackle easily. He also wished he was not quite so vain. If he had not liked his human form to look appealing he would have not had so much muscle to get rid of now. Then again this was the form his little one had fallen in love with and he did his best to maintain it.

His thoughts turned sombre. He knew he was going to have to age himself to keep up with Chihiro as she aged, but that was not something he liked to think about. Even the vague thought of the death of his mate caused him pain that was close to physical. Presently he was getting a taste of what it would be like when she left him and he knew he would not be able to endure it. He knew she was alive, but not being near her for over a month was hurting him. How much worse would it be when her body wore out and she left for good? He shook his head; this was not the time to think about his mate's fragile mortality. He had to get out and then he would make the handful of years he had with her as blissful as he could. He sank into the corner he normally slept in and relaxed, waiting for sleep to come. If he was lucky he would dream of her again.

* * *

Chihiro knew as soon as she opened her eyes that she was dreaming. She was sitting on a ledge of black rock, high above a glassy lake of water that filled a massive cavern. The soft glow of the bioluminescent mosses and funguses bounced off the water and reflected the cavern roof, making the lake look black and menacing. Chihiro felt a strong stirring of homesickness. How long had it been since she walked on the black sand shores she could see far below her? A month? Possibly even two. She had been so happy before she learned of her mother's illness. Why had it ended? Did the spirit world hate her that much? No, of course it didn't, it was just unfortunate that she had been the one to fall in love with a dragon. That was something she would not and could not ever regret; it was who she was.

She sighed and her hand fell to her stomach. Was it just her or was her belly rounding up a little? It was probably her imagination; she should not be showing yet. Her pregnancy was probably going to be depressingly long. Her hand clenched at the flesh of her stomach again and her lip wobbled. Would the father of her child be free for the birth of his daughter? She swallowed, her throat aching from unshed tears. She waited for the emotion to pass, but the deep sense of loss she felt was becoming ever more prevalent. She found herself consciously avoiding thinking about her mate while she was awake. It would not do for her to be sucked into the blackness that threatened to claim her. She could not let that happen, her mate and her child depended on her. She had to stand firm, but it was hard. Even with her sister's, the Nygel and Scott's company she still felt bitterly lonely.

She heard the wet slap of flesh on stone. Startled, she turned around. Her mate was walking towards her. He was soaking wet, as if just returning from his daily swim, which could sometimes last hours. She never complained about his sometimes prolonged absences. She had no idea what he did while under the water for so long but he was a river god, if he lived as he was meant to he would rarely be out of the water. Her eyes drank him in. He was not looking at her, he did not appear to even be aware she was there. He was looking at the cavern roof, grumpily muttering to himself. She almost wanted to laugh, he looked so adorably disgruntled, but she was still in awe at being allowed to see him. She knew she dreamed of him frequently, but hardly ever remembered what had happened. She was never conscious she was dreaming either, but now, now she knew she was dreaming, and she treasured every second of it. She knew she would remember _this_ dream when she woke. Her mates beautiful jade green eyes swept the cave again and he growled under his breath. The sound shuddered through Chihiro and her already thudding heart tried to jump out of her chest.

He was breathtaking.

Convinced she could wake at any second, Chihiro tried to burn every detail of her mate into her mind. He was wearing charcoal grey, a colour that always looked good against his striking hair and eyes. The cut of his clothes was simple; merely a tunic and shapeless trousers of no particular style or design. The hems of the trousers were slightly frayed where they brushed his alabaster feet. Her eyes rose from his feet, up his leanly muscled legs, over his taught stomach and up to his broad shoulders.

His wet clothes stuck to him enticingly. She wanted to get up and hug him, to feel his hard body pressed against her. But she was terrified he was merely a vision. If her hand passed through him she knew she would be crushed with disappointment, possibly disturbed enough to wake. She bit her lip and forced herself to remain still. Her eyes found his face pale, flawless, translucent skin that she knew would be warm and silky smooth under her fingers. His hair stuck to his face in green, kelp like ribbons. It was then she noticed that the piercing green eyes were watching her. She blinked rapidly in surprise. This had only ever happened once, when they had both been aware of each other as they dreamt. Linca had said the bond could let them communicate with each other. There had just been that one all too brief moment in their home where she had been able to speak to him, not even touch him! She silently begged the universe to give her a few moments with him again. But looking at him she hardly knew what to say. She feared to make a sound in case he vanished.

"Are you really there?" he asked in a hushed whisper, ending all her doubts. Elation rushed through her. He must have seen it on her face as he smiled in return.

"Guess that means yes," he said with a warm chuckle.

Slowly, as if fearing he would also wake, he raised his arms in a silent invitation. Chihiro did not even think of the possibility of him not really being there. With a little cry she scrambled to her feet and ran into his waiting arms. She ran into a warm, hard, unyielding body. She gasped with surprise, she clutched at her mate, curling her hands into fists around the material of his tunic and pulling, forcing him to bend down to her. Once his face was level with hers, she kissed him, moving from forehead to cheek and then to his grinning mouth in quick succession. He grunted in surprise, as he normally did when she became amorous. How could he not know how beautiful he was? He would be enough to drive any woman mad, whether she was spirit or human would have made no difference.

He imprisoned her face between his long fingered hands and slowed her frantic kisses, capturing her mouth with his own and not letting her move until he had finished. When she began to sob he moved back, his own eyes reflecting what was in her own. A mixture of relief at seeing her and pain at knowing that none of what they now shared was real.

"How is this possible?" She asked her lip wobbling; she dashed the tears from her eyes angrily. This was no time for her to be crying, she should be grateful at seeing him. But her heart whispered to her constantly that she was asleep next to Linca, not at her home with her loving mate.

"I don't know little one," his voice rumbled. "Maybe the bond knows our need to see each other… but I really have no idea…" he trailed off as a fresh torrent of tears poured down Chihiro's face. Haku slipped his arms around her and held her to his chest. She cried all the harder at his tender treatment of her, her shoulders shook and she buried her face in his tunic.

He shushed her and told her not to cry, he began to stroke her hair, hoping to soothe her. It helped her calm herself and soon she was sniffing forlornly into the space between his neck and shoulder.

"I know its hard Chihiro," he whispered, holding her tighter. "I miss you so much it hurts, but I am working on a way to get free… it will take time but I think I will succeed."

"What if it doesn't?" she asked, her voice bubbling still. "What if they discover what you are trying to do and stop you?" She nuzzled closer into his neck, breathing in the scent of his warm skin. It was all so vivid! How could it possibly not be real?

"Then I will find another way to escape," he reassured her. "You must trust me Chihiro."

"I do," she murmured.

"I don't think you do," he replied harshly. Chihiro stiffened in his embrace. He was angry about something. She took a step back from him and looked at his face, his eyes were flashing with annoyance. "If you trusted me then you would not be putting yourself in danger now." He half growled.

"_Ah,"_ thought Chihiro, _"He knows I've not stayed at home."_ She glared back at him defiantly.

"I am your mate Haku," she said firmly. "I could not sit at home and do nothing. You would never have listened to me had our situations been reversed."

"I am not human," said Haku quietly. Chihiro felt her temper prickle a little. There it was again, the assumption that she was a danger to herself because of what she was.

"I may be human but I am not helpless, I have my family and friends with me."

He understood immediately that he had insulted her.

"I know you are not helpless," he whispered, trailing his fingers over her cheek. "But I am worried about what you will face. The spirit world can be very cruel and there are dangers that even I am unaware of."

She caught his hand between her own and squeezed it.

"I love you and I am coming for you, nothing will stop me, I swear to you, to you and…" She stopped herself just in time. He could not know about the baby yet. She bit her lip. He raised an eyebrow, knowing she was hiding something.

"That is what I mean," he sighed sadly.

"I want to protect you, that is all," she whispered, turning her head, not wanting to look at the worried and slightly hurt jade eyes.

"That is my job Chihiro," he whispered in return.

"I'm not turning back," she said stubbornly. "I can't."

"You have no obligation to the old ones Chihiro," he spat. "You do not have to be their tool."

"I know that too," said Chihiro weakly. She looked back up at his exquisite eyes. "But their purposes suit my own. I need you back with me and if that means taking on Kenshin then…"

"You will not pit yourself against him," hissed Haku, gripping her shoulders tightly. "He is old, powerful and quite insane. If he can hold me against my will, then imagine what he can do to you!"

"Warnings are not going to work on me Haku, you should know that well enough by now," she said softly, a small smile pulling at her lips. Haku rolled his eyes but smiled too.

"You can't blame me for trying," he murmured. Chihiro stood on her toes and kissed the top of his head. "I will come for you," she promised again. "I have too. This is not only about us anymore, our worlds are in danger." Haku nodded solemnly, he knew she took her quest seriously. "But you come first," she whispered, planting a feather light kiss on his lips. "The fate of the worlds I will deal with when I have freed you."

"I may free myself first," he said, his voice rumbling in his chest.

"Good," she replied with a chuckle. "Less for me to do when I get to the desert."

She moved forward to kiss him again but a hand landed on her chest, stopping her.

"Chihiro, I know you are keeping something from me," he said, his face serious.

"I want you to tell me what it is."

Chihiro shuddered. She could lie, she was good at it, but he would find out the truth, just as he had found out she was not at home. Kenshin must have a way of watching her. Why he had told Haku what she was doing was a mystery to her, perhaps to make him worry? How much worse would it be if Haku found out about his impending fatherhood through his captor?

"I…I am… frightened what you will do if you find out." She stammered. "Things are hard enough for you; I don't want to burden you with…"

"Tell me," he demanded softly, interrupting her. "I am quite capable of remaining calm; I know how dire our situation is Chihiro." He held her to him again. "Don't take all this on alone little one," he whispered. "Whatever it is you do not need to shelter me from it. We are mates; we should share everything, even the bad things."

"It's nothing bad," chuckled Chihiro. "Well, I don't think it is, the timing could have been better but I'm sure you'll see that…"

"You're babbling Chihiro," he murmured gently, cutting her off. He held her tighter.

"Just tell me what it is."

Chihiro swallowed, she held him tight, took a deep breath, hesitated, then spat the words out in a rush.

"I'm carrying our child." She squeezed her eyes shut and waited.

Haku remained silent, seconds ticked by. Chihiro refused to speak, she wanted to know how he would react. Slowly Haku moved away from her, he took two steps back and a deep breath. His face was closed; she could not tell what he was thinking at all. She felt her heart grow cold. This was why she had not wanted to tell him. The news that he was going to be a father should be something that filled him with joy, not something that burdened him with more worry.

"How… How long have you know?" he asked stammering slightly.

"A month," she breathed, looking at her feet.

"A month, a month and you didn't tell me?" he asked, his voice growing in volume.

"How could I?" she replied, flaring up at his tone. "You've been kidnapped. I've spoken to you once in that time and I was getting used to the idea myself. Forgive me if I did not pass on the news!" she spat sarcastically.

He blinked at her, not understanding her anger.

"I'm sorry little one," he whispered. Chihiro was startled by the sadness in his tone. "I should be there for you," he murmured. "You should not be doing this alone."

Chihiro just about felt her heart break, she had been so worried he would be enraged, or do something idiotic to get free. Instead he was concerned for her. Sometimes she felt that she loved him so much she would burst because of it.

He smiled at her softly.

"I'm sorry I did not tell you," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I though you would…"

Again she was cut off, this time by her mate wrapping his arms around her, lifting her up and spinning her round. When he put her down he bestowed countless kisses on her face and neck accompanied by countless questions.

"How far along are you? ... Do you know how this happened? ... Did someone remove the infertility spell? ... Do you know what it's going to be? I mean I know a baby! But what type? … Male? … Female? … How long are human pregnancies again?

Chihiro laughed delightedly. He was happy… he was happy they were going to be a family.

"I am reliably informed that we are having a little girl," she chuckled. Her mate almost squeezed the life out of her. Suddenly he realised how tightly he was holding her. He backed off immediately.

"I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "Did I hurt you, are you alright?" Chihiro sniggered at him.

"I'm not going to break just because I'm pregnant Haku." She laughed. Then her face darkened. "Besides, none of this is real."

Haku's mood was not dampened at all.

"It's real enough," he exclaimed. "I'll be out of my cell before you know it!" his eyes widened. "Don't you dare have it without me being there!" he cried. "The worlds can rip themselves apart for all I care; you keep yourself safe and don't do anything stupid! Wait for me to get free!" he insisted.

Chihiro shook her head.

"I can't do that," she replied. "I need to keep moving, Rin is missing at the moment so I couldn't go back even if I wanted too." Haku's jaw clenched, he was far from pleased at her refusal, but she knew he would not ask again, it was pointless.

"What happened," he demanded.

Chihiro sat on the ledge again and Haku sat beside her, she told him of her little fall which he really was furious to hear about, but did not interrupt her. He was very interested to hear of the rift and got her to describe it twice. She went on to say that they had all agreed to meet at the end of the shadow spirit travel way. The Nygel was waiting for them but Rin was not. They had waited all day for her. She had not returned.

"Rin is resilient," said Haku reassuringly putting an arm around his mate. "She will be unharmed, but she may have been waylaid. Get the Nygel to harass some of the lower spirits in the area. A spirit like Rin cannot move through an area without being noticed. She will not be far away. When you find her you can go home."

"Haku…" sighed Chihiro, resting her head against him.

"I'm sorry little one, but you've already fallen down a cliff, wrecking my sword in the process," he pouted slightly. "And now Rin is missing. Being at home would be the best thing for you and our little dragon." He smiled at her dreamily. "I hope she has your eyes," he sighed. Chihiro grinned at him.

"I can't turn back," she murmured. "I don't want to bring my daughter up in a world of chaos and carnage."

"I knew you'd say that," grumbled Haku. Chihiro laughed at him.

Suddenly the cave faded and her eyes were open. She was looking at a perfectly velvet black sky, studded with a million scintillating stars.

"I did not get a chance to say goodbye!" she whimpered to herself. She closed her eyes and hoped she would get back to him. But all she succeeded in doing was falling back to sleep.

* * *

**Some super sweetness before we delve into Rin's murky past.**

**Daishar as a request, she wants to do some fanart but can't decide what. She hopes people will make suggestions in their reviews and your ideas will get her brush going. So if you have something you wish to see illustrated, say so. If you don't know Daishar's work then there is a link on my profile will take you to it.**

**I'd also like to thank Lara for casting her eye over this and getting it back to me in hours flat. Dimac beta moved house today and will be unavailable for some time so it is thanks to Lara's kindness that you are all reading this now. (Velf hugs Lara.)**


	30. Rin Running

_**Rin Running**_

Chihiro chewed at her fingernail. Rin had been missing for almost two days and the strain was really starting to tell on her fellow questers. They knew from Linca's attempts at tracking her magically that she was far ahead of them. She had not waited for them and for some reason had pushed on alone. They had asked every spirit they had come across if they had seen Rin. The answer was not always a negative. On their first day of looking, one helpful wood sprite told them she had spoken to a spirit woman who had been stumbling through the woods looking confused.

"I thought she might be lost," chirruped the small mouse like spirit, its beady eyes held no hint of deception as far as Chihiro could tell.

"She looked at me and said she knew exactly where she was going but she had lost some friends. She was supposed to meet them but she could not remember where." Scott had been sceptical of the spirit's story. But Linca had quietly taken him aside that night and explained what they knew about Rin. Chihiro had only heard snatches of their conversation as she drifted fitfully in and out of sleep.

"We don't know who she is or where she comes from; Rin is not even her real name… She has a mark of da'tant on her, just like Chihiro, she has some sort of quest to fulfil but we don't know what… Yubaba's memory spell is powerful and Rin has been under it for a long time, she wants to remember but is frightened of what compelled her to forget everything in the first place, she paid Yubaba to be employed at the bathhouse and have her memory taken… The spell can make the one under it slightly unstable as it wears off… She may have had a bit of a mental breakdown if she has come across something familiar, it has happened before… We think she left a child behind but it's just a feeling she has, she is not really sure…"

Now it was the end of the second day of searching. Chihiro was already tucked up under her tent made of a plastic sheet. She was getting weary much more easily as the days went by, as if something was sapping her strength.

"Or someone," Chihiro muttered ruefully to the green plastic above her. Linca and Scott were still sitting around the small camp fire, arguing about who would take the first watch. Crickets started to sing as the last anaemic rays of light faded. Chihiro sighed and rubbed her stomach. Was it just her? Or had it rounded slightly?

"I should be losing weight with all this riding and flying, but because of you I'm going to look like a blimp in a few months rather than the fashion model I could be after all this exercise," she grumbled. She drew little circles around her belly button and smiled, she felt slightly better about being pregnant now Haku knew. She had no idea how they had managed to talk to each other, even touch each other, but she was eternally grateful that they had. Her heart felt lighter than it had in weeks. She had no doubt that it had been real, dreams were never that lucid. He had been so shocked at her news, she had worried that he was going to be angry. He wasn't, he was thrilled.

"Your daddy's going to spoil you rotten," she murmured. "Him and your aunties Rin and Linca. We just have to make sure we get auntie Rin back then we can work on getting your daddy back."

Chihiro stiffened, there it was again, the slightest movement. It was as if some insect in her stomach had twitched its wings. It was an incredibly odd feeling but she smiled as it was accompanied by the warm feeling in the back of her mind again. Chihiro stroked her hand down her stomach a little more firmly.

"It's alright," she cooed. "I'm just tired and a little worried, nothing for you to get anxious over dragonlette."

"Are you talking to your bump again?" asked Linca with a chuckle as she squeezed into the tent.

"She's hardly a bump yet," murmured Chihiro, moving over to accommodate her sister. Linca snuggled under her covers and patted Chihiro's stomach without asking. Chihiro sighed. If she hadn't known better she would have thought Linca was broody, she seemed to be developing a fascination with her stomach.

"Don't sigh like that!" protested Linca. "I've seen pregnant humans before but I've never been around one long enough to see how things develop. It's interesting."

"I'm going to be fat and ruin my figure and get stretch marks," grunted Chihiro. "It's not that interesting."

"But I can already sense her," murmured Linca. "She's a teeny tiny little spark inside you." She clasped Chihiro's hands. "My niece is going to be so cute!" she squeaked. "I'm going to knit her little booties and hats to keep her little head warm."

"You can knit?" said Chihiro sceptically.

"I'm old, of course I can knit," scoffed Linca. "A few hundred years ago there were only two types of clothing where I lived. Fur or wool. Anything else was very expensive." Chihiro shrugged and drifted to sleep as Linca prattled on.

She awoke a few hours later when Scott was shaking Linca out of her slumber. It was her turn to keep watch.

"Don't leave me out this time," Chihiro warned the sleepy sprite as she crawled out of the tent. "I'm pregnant not ill, I can take a shift, wake me up in a few hours."

"Go back to sleep," yawned Linca. "I'll do no such thing, you're sleeping for two now." Chihiro heard Scott chuckle outside the tent. "Besides," said Linca. "You'll need your strength, tomorrow I'm sure we'll catch up with our wandering companion."

Chihiro snuggled back under her covers. She wished she had Linca's optimism. The truth was that after two days and numerous tracking spells they still only had a general idea of where Rin was. She was ahead of them and moving south. It could be a while before they caught her. Chihiro hoped that Rin would recover her senses soon and stay in one place. Then again she remembered quite clearly the day Rin had attacked Haku, she knew that her sister could sink into her delusions almost completely.

"_Rin!" shouted Linca desperately, "__It's not his fault, it was an accident!" But Rin was not listening; her brown eyes were glazed over and she did not even appear to be seeing Haku. She was just intent on attack._

"_What's going on? What have I done, Rin?" gasped Haku, as he dodged another blow that would have shattered bone. Rin remained trapped in her wild rage._

"_You're all the same!" she hissed between her teeth. She circled Haku looking for an opening or a weakness in his defence. The Dragon, however, was exceptionally agile and adroitly avoided her feints and swings. "You think you can just take what you want! That's not going to happen to her!" Chihiro could see that Haku was quite happy to keep dancing out of Rin's way until she exhausted herself. Chihiro had other ideas; she was not going to watch Rin continue on her rampage, someone was going to get hurt._

_Before Linca could stop her, Chihiro had inserted herself between Rin and Haku. She barely missed a skull splitting swing from Rin's staff; the spirit woman seemed to see her as just an obstacle to sweep aside to get at Haku. Chihiro dropped onto all fours and kicked out at Rin with her right leg. Rin was so intent on her prey that Chihiro managed to completely knock her legs out from under her. Linca caught Rin as she fell and knocked the staff from her hands. To Chihiro's surprise, Linca grabbed Rin viciously by the hair, preventing her from reaching for the staff again._

_Rin struggled and cursed but Linca, it seemed, had hidden strength and a vice-like grip. Chihiro looked at Haku; his green eyes were full of concern. Rin had always been highly strung, but this was bordering on madness. Chihiro gestured for him to stay back. She did not want him irritating Rin any further. Carefully, she approached the spirit woman. Rin had stopped struggling but she still stared balefully at Haku, her lovely brown eyes tainted with hate._

"_Rin," said Chihiro, gently. Rin looked at her, but seemed not to recognise her. "He has not hurt me. He never would."_

"_Pah!" Rin spat, but Chihiro saw her anger cooling in response to her calm voice._

"_He's a good person, you know this," Chihiro whispered._

"_No!" hissed Rin, "they are all the same, they only want one thing!" _

Chihiro bit her nail again. Rin could be so deep in some old and painful memory that she might be a danger to herself as well as to anyone who crossed her path. The spirit woman was very adept with the blades she had hidden in her clothing and would use them if provoked. Chihiro knew they would have to be cautious and Scott would have to be aware that Rin was dangerous in such a state, especially towards males. Chihiro's thoughts yet again turned to what could possibly be buried in Rin's mind that made her hate so viciously. Though Chihiro was not sure if she really wanted to know.

* * *

The next morning they broke camp before sunrise. Chihiro on the Nygel, Scott in the sky with Linca. The forest they were now moving through was like nothing Chihiro had seen before. There were wide spaces between the trees, but the trees themselves were huge, with even larger canopies that blocked out most of the sunlight. Because of this, very little grew at ground level, mainly ferns and bracken that never got taller than the water horses knees.

The canopy above Chihiro was alive with spirits, chattering, shrieking and laughing with each other. Most woodland spirits were benign but there was the odd one that may fancy her for a snack. However, the water horse's reputation apparently preceded it. His kind were well known as voracious eaters of practically anything smaller than them. Snaffu had confessed to only killing the occasional human however, he liked human company and only when humans hurt him, had he hurt them. Chihiro was getting used to the fact that most of her spirit friends may have intended harm to human kind in the past, sometimes not undeservingly. Six months ago she would have been horrified that she had discussed such a topic with the water horse; now, after what she had heard from her own mate at her mating ceremony, she realised her attitude had changed considerably. She used to be a pacifist, now she was turning into a person who apparently believed in just vengeance and retribution. Well maybe "believed in" was too strong, but she had certainly forgiven her friends for their past behaviour towards humans. Retribution, where it was justified was not always a bad thing. Chihiro realised that the spirit world was changing her, or maybe it was just her impending motherhood.

Before her cliff diving incident Chihiro had discussed her change in attitude with Rin. The spirit woman had put her head on one side and regarded Chihiro carefully.

"Certain tribes of water spirits in the southern ocean region isolate new mothers and their children with their immediate family for forty days after a birth," she said cryptically.

"Huh?" Murmured Chihiro, completely lost.

"They say that when a female has a child that it's not one new person that comes into the world but two. New mother needs time to adjust to her new role and all that that entails for her and the family need to get used to the new person she has become."

"You're not making sense Rin," Chihiro had scoffed. "It's not like you to talk in riddles."

The matter had been dropped but Chihiro now wished she had listened; Rin had been trying to tell her something. It was then that her thoughts screeched to a halt, as did the horse beneath her. If the Nygel had not been holding her magically in place she would had tumbled straight over his head and crashed into the undergrowth. But instead she found her face in his coarse mane. She coughed and spluttered hair as she sat herself back up.

"Snaffu what are you…?"

"Please mistress be still for a moment," murmured the horse. It tilted its nose to the ground, snorting and sniffing.

"Mistress Rin passed this way!" he whinnied tossing his head and flicking his tail with excitement. "The scent is weak but it is relatively fresh, she is not that far ahead of us now!" He sprang into a mile-eating canter, almost causing Chihiro to lose her breakfast. The two birds above them evidently saw the Nygel change direction and called to each other in excitement. They had obviously assumed the Nygel had picked up Rin's trail.

Chihiro hung onto the Nygel's mane and tried to ignore the churning in her stomach. This was no time to stop and be sick. They were catching up with Rin!

How long they chased Rin's scent for Chihiro didn't know. All she cared about was holding onto the food in her stomach which seemed to think it should be coming out of her mouth rather than being digested.

The sun climbed higher into the sky but it was still cool beneath the verdant canopy. Chihiro was starting to get a headache from moving through the dappled shade. Her retinas had to constantly adjust between the diffuse sunbeams she passed though and the pervading gloom of the woodlands. Her tail bone began to hurt and her thighs ache, even after all the time she had recently spent on horse back she still got sore. Not that she ever told the Nygel, it would hurt his pride to know she was still in discomfort.

"_I'm made for flying, not riding,"_ she thought ruefully. She had never been so appreciative of her mate's handy dragon form as she had been on this journey. Flying on his back had made the trips she had taken before with him relatively short and absolutely thrilling. Sitting on a horse's back for hours just could not compare, neither could using the flying cloak. Her bird form was slow and her arms hurt at the end of a day's flying. But most of all, travelling without Haku was tedious, the bond she shared with her mate meant she normally had a constant companion. While she was getting used to the emptiness in her head again, she still could find nothing to fill the gap that was left by his absence. Not even their child could ease the loneliness in her heart. But she had hardened herself; she had had to for everyone's sake, including her own.

She was starting to lose the sensation in her rear when the Nygel slowed smoothly to a canter, then a trot and finally a walk. He did not get easily tired like a normal horse would but he must have exhausted himself in galloping for so long. His flanks were slick with foam and he was breathing quite heavily.

"Are you alright?" asked Chihiro.

"I'm fine," he nickered. "She is close, I do not wish to frighten her, I can smell anxiety in the air." Chihiro nodded and asked him to release her. The hold gone from her, she almost slithered off him sideways. Snaffu was too tired to comment on her shortcomings as a rider. There was a flutter in the air above her. The birds landed and quickly transformed into a tired looking spirit and human.

"The wind was against us," panted Scott. "It's been like swimming up river for the past few hours." Linca rolled her shoulders and sighed.

"No stamina, human," she tutted then turned to Chihiro. "Is she ahead?" she asked.

Chihiro nodded.

"Ok boys," said Linca in a hushed tone. "You better wait here; this is a girls-only party."

"Why?" asked Scott, folding his arms. "She's our friend too, besides if she's violent you may need help." Linca patted Scott on his elbow.

"As much as it may bruise your macho pride I'm afraid that if Rin is violent you would be more a hindrance than a help. It appears to be men that enrage her and she would kill you quite easily if she got the chance. You may be human but you are still male, it's best if you stay away from her." Scott did not seem to be offended but there was still a stubborn set to his jaw.

"Well at least let the horse go with you, he's hardly going to stand still and let her hurt him, besides he's a male of a different species altogether," he argued.

"I'm not going near her," grumbled the horse. "I'm not trusting that mistress Rin is going to regard four legs as good and two legs as bad. I still smell like a male." He turned to Chihiro and tossed his head at her in agitation. "And I suggest you don't go near her either mistress Chihiro, you have a child to consider."

"She won't hurt me," said Chihiro softly. "She probably already knows we are here." She began to walk in the direction the Nygel had indicated and Linca trotted gracefully after her. Scott muttered a curse to himself and told the Nygel to hunt for some lunch for them. They would not be going any further today and would make camp here. Chihiro smiled to herself. She had chosen well to bring him; he was so calm and practical.

"_And very reasonable for a man,"_ she thought guiltily. _"Haku would never let me do this." _

Through the trees, a shape began to resolve from the rest of the gloom. It was a building of some sort. Chihiro squinted, a cottage? It looked almost Germanic with a roof which eves were very close to the ground. It was wooden, and apparently quite old; one wall was bowed inward and a long dead tree had fallen, smashing through the roof. It was barely a shell of a building. Chihiro wondered what spirit had built it. Non-bonded spirits could set up home anywhere they pleased. She imagined that it might be lonely in this vast, gloomy forest. But then she remembered that the treetops were teeming with spirits. It was a forest just like this that Meeka came from, there was life everywhere, just like being in the centre of a bustling city.

Linca stepped ahead of her, moving soundlessly. Her white hair, braided today, was gleaming in the beams of sunlight that managed to stab through the leaves above. Chihiro felt as if she was snapping every twig and crunching every leaf her feet could find. She was so noisy compared to Linca. The wooden house had indeed been derelict for some time. The timbers were rotten through, though they were cultivating small gardens of blue-green mosses and a riot of colourful fungi. The sisters circled the house warily, confirming that Rin was not sitting outside of it. There was a noise, like a confused whimper that came from within the building. Chihiro's heart jumped into her mouth, was Rin hurt? Linca motioned for her to follow and they tiptoed up to where the front door had once been; now it was lying in the garden. Linca knocked on the rotten door frame. The dull thump her fist made on the decayed wood evidently startled the spirit woman.

"Who… Who is there?" said Rin's voice, shaking with fear. "Hikaru? Is that you?"

"No," said Linca softly. "It's your sisters."

"Sisters…" said Rin thoughtfully. "Yes, I have many sisters, brothers too… lots of them… but they are all gone now. I only have two sisters left." Rin was obviously very confused, but she did remember who they were, it was a good sign. Haku had said a person in Rin's condition could lose their minds and die. Rin had appeared to stabilise in the months after Chihiro's mating. Chihiro had almost been glad that no new memories had surfaced. Now it seemed something big had pushed through Yubaba's spell, and Rin was very bewildered by it. Chihiro motioned for Linca to step into the house.

Rin was sitting in the middle of the derelict cottage. She was perched on the tree that had crashed through the roof. She looked weary, as if she had barely slept the days she had been missing. Chihiro guessed she had probably eaten nothing either. Her travelling clothes where muddy and stained, there were leaves in her hair as well as bits of twigs. Rin looked down on them both and smiled warmly.

"You came to get me," she said brightly. "I knew that if I stayed here someone would come for me." Chihiro frowned. Rin's voice was different, higher than it normally was, even girlish. She wondered if her sister was stuck in a memory from her childhood. Rin's brown eyes swept over the ruined building.

"It's a little different from how I remember it," she muttered, her eyes snapped back to Linca and Chihiro. "I'd offer you a cup of tea but…" she trailed off.

"Why do you two have your shoes on in my house!" she suddenly snapped. "Do you have no manners at all? Take them off before you make the place filthier than it already is!" Linca shrugged at the astonished Chihiro.

"Best play along till she's back with us," she said under her breath. The sprite and the human removed their shoes and placed them next to Rin's mud encrusted boots by the door. Chihiro carefully selected a tree branch that did not appear too rotten. She sat on it and wondered what to do next. Linca swung herself up on one of the higher branches, a leg over each side of it. She swung her bare feet and apparently appeared at ease.

"Nice place you have here," she said with a grin. "Needs a good overhaul but it's fixable."

"Don't talk nonsense," muttered Rin. "I'd tear it down if I could be bothered to waste the energy," she growled.

"You… You don't like this place?" asked Chihiro softly. Linca gave her a warning look but Chihiro knew Rin would not return to sanity if she did not explore the memory that had surfaced.

"I did when my family lived here," said Rin, a smirk pulling at her dry, cracked lips. "But he took them away," Her face darkened. "I don't remember where he sent them to," she whispered.

"Can you tell us what it was like when you lived here?" asked Chihiro softly, wanting Rin to focus on the 'safe' areas of what she had remembered.

"It was loud!" Rin chuckled suddenly. "Can you imagine what a house full of Weasel spirits is like?" She chortled. "I had seven sisters and five brothers. I was the eldest and my youngest sister was still a baby. Weasels always have large families; the females can sometimes die if they don't have at least one child. Most think that the more they have the happier they will be."

Rin smiled dreamily at the wall before her.

"My mother was beautiful, I always remember her laughing. My farther was stern but he loved us all. My sisters and I would do anything to please him, especially when he gave us treats that our mother had forbidden us from having in case it ruined our appetite for our dinner." Rin smacked her lips. "He always used to find and roast the best newts, no one could make roasted newt like my father could, it was even better than chocolate!"

"Sounds lovely," said Linca sceptically.

"It was!" enthused Rin. "It really was!" she sighed sadly. "I was so happy here; we were poor, no fine clothes or fine foods for us. But there was always something happening! My mother was very handy with water spells, she would usually drench everyone with a small cloud burst when we were fighting and then scold us all for getting wet!"

Suddenly Rin's mood changed. She shuddered and hugged herself tightly.

"Then it all changed, I matured into a young woman and began to feel the need to get a mate. A weasel woman cannot fight against her nature, as much as she may wish to. It is impossible, we must breed at least once. But I was from a poor family. I had little but my charms to recommend me to potential mates and my family could certainly not afford a dowry. I began to get a little depressed and my mother worried about me and the rest of her daughters. If I was having trouble finding a suitable mate then what would become of her younger children as they matured?"

Rin shook her head.

"I began to become ill, I lost all interest in food and sat indoors most of the day. My farther would berate me for laziness but I saw little point in going outside. There were no eligible males in the area so why should I trouble myself?"

Rin pulled a disgusted face.

"Having a mate was all I cared about or wanted. I had no idea how to deal with the feelings that plagued me," Rin sighed. "I don't suppose I could help it but I was naïve. I should have waited a bit longer. I should not have responded to that invitation."

She fell silent, still hugging herself.

"What invitation?" asked Chihiro quietly.

"The invitation from Lord Hikaru of course," scoffed Rin, as if it was obvious. "We heard from a traveller passing through the area that Lord Hikaru was looking for another concubine and had invited women of any station to apply for the position."

"Sounds like he was advertising for a secretary not a partner," murmured Linca. "Why would a Lord need to advertise for a concubine? There should be women of breeding lining up to be chosen to be with him."

Chihiro felt a little sick at the insinuation, the only reason a Lord would want a women of low birth as a concubine was if no women of higher birth would be with him. That would mean he was either ugly, poor or cruel.

"I did not think about it at the time," murmured Rin. "I was just happy I may get the opportunity to be a concubine to a man of stature and thus raise my family out of poverty," she shrugged. "I just had to ensure I was chosen. So I got the local air spirit to make a Baraka of me in my best clothes, no flat pictures for me, oh no. I wanted to stand out. I also sent a letter with the image listing my quite considerable skills and embellished my family lineage slightly."

She smirked to herself.

"Father was furious at me," she chuckled. "He said I should have been proud of who I was."

"Than what happened?" pushed Linca. Rin was starting to sound more and more like herself as she spoke, as if she was coming back to herself as the story progressed.

"I was invited to his palace," said Rin proudly. "Then it gets a bit hazy," she murmured. "I remember being interviewed by him. I found him arrogant and told him so. He made me angry about something. I walked out of the interview…" she frowned "He pulled me back… he kissed me and said he had decided… He had a Tac' Tal around my neck by the end of the week, as did all his concubines. I bore his child within the first year."

Rin screwed up her face.

"I can't remember any more than that!" she cried, frustrated. "I want to! I really do! I want to know why I left! I want to know what happened to my child!"

Linca scrambled down her branch, perched herself on Rin's and hugged her tightly. "It's alright," she purred, you've done really well to get this far!"

"But I want to know!" protested Rin. "It's not fair!" She dashed away angry tears from her face. She looked down at Chihiro.

"Chihiro please," she begged. "The palace is not far from here, can we go there? I need to know who I am. I need to know where my child is."

Chihiro bit her lip, she was torn. On the one hand she had to act quickly, Kenshin's spell was getting stronger and she had to stop him before it was too late. On the other hand Rin needed to know her past and deserved to know it. Chihiro had her suspicions as to why Rin had run from the father of her child. If she was correct then she certainly did not want Rin to go the palace alone. She would need their help and may act rashly if they did not follow or help her in what she needed to do. Chihiro knew Rin was marked with da'tant, the old magic could be driving her to this meeting with a man she had once possibly loved. She may run off alone if they did not agree.

"We will go with you to the palace Rin," said Chihiro firmly. "We will help you find your past."

"_I'm sorry Haku!"_ her heart wailed, but she had little choice.

Rin grabbed her and hugged her; she wept grateful tears and promised to only delay the quest a few days.

"Whether I find anything out or not I know we must go on. I will go with you to the end Chihiro!" she promised fervently.

"I know Rin," said Chihiro soothingly. "I know you will."

They took Rin back to the camp Scott had constructed. Scott fed her hot soup and stood over her to make sure she ate every spoonful. Chihiro and Linca retired while Scott and Rin were still talking by the camp fire. Scott did not seem interested in the detour, or the prospect of meeting the spirit Rin had born a child to. He was more concerned about her motivation for running off on her own.

It was fully dark when Chihiro was shaken awake. Scott's large frame filled the entrance of her tent.

"What is it?" Chihiro asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. "You want me to keep watch?"

"No," replied Scott. He seemed worried, though she could barely see his face in the darkness, she could just sense a tension in him.

"It is Rin, is she ok?" Chihiro bleated.

"She is sleeping soundly but something is bothering me about her," he said softly, not wanting to wake Linca who was still sleeping soundly beside Chihiro. "Don't you think it's strange that it is only when we start making progress again that Rin suffers a breakdown?" he asked with a hiss.

"What do you mean?" asked Chihiro.

"I mean I asked Rin what had triggered her memories," replied Scott. "She said she saw a signpost at the end of the canyon where she was waiting for us; she said it was pointing the way to 'Lord Hikaru's palace.' The next thing she remembers is stumbling across her old home." Scott scratched his head, clearly frustrated. "I don't remember a signpost being there when we came out of the canyon."

"Neither do I," murmured Chihiro. "I wonder how we missed it."

"Or maybe it was only meant for Rin to see," said Scott darkly. Chihiro blinked and then realised what he was getting at.

"You think she has been manipulated?" she gasped, a hand fluttering to her mouth.

"I do," said Scott. "There is only one person who knows who Rin really is."

"Yubaba," murmured Chihiro.

"They've managed to delay us again," sighed Scott. "As a diversion it is simple and elegant, they know we cannot deny or ignore Rin's pain."

"What can we do?" asked Chihiro softly.

"Nothing," replied Scott with a sigh. "We are checkmated on this one; we can only be on our guard and hope for the best."

Chihiro nodded, he was right. Kenshin had outmanoeuvred them again.

* * *

Kenshin smiled as he gazed into Yubaba's crystal ball.

"That human is quite astute, I think I should remove him next," he said still smiling.

Chihiro appeared to be truly shocked at the revelation that she had been manipulated into another delay, Yubaba was hopeful it would be a lengthy one.

"Don't fret Chihiro," Kenshin purred, running a finger over the ball as if trying to caress the image. "I am going to ensure you get here, just as you are meant to. But I will be removing your friends one by one. When you get here it will be too late and you will be merely a helpless human."

"What do you plan on doing with her?" asked Yubaba softly. The witch was holding the ball up for Kenshin to see as he sat on his throne, using her own power rather than his to let him spy on his adversaries. He could not afford to waste magic on small spells which she could perform for him. He gave her a cold look.

"The girl is my business witch," he said softly. "I will not harm her but I cannot allow her to finish her quest. She may be just a human but I am not going to be arrogant and stupid. I have a way of dealing with her that will not cause her pain or injury. I'll even give her her freedom; she can go where she wishes after the incantation is complete."

Yubaba swallowed, she did not like the way this was going. Kenshin had taken to watching the group at least three times a day and had altered his plans. It was now plain that Chihiro could not be turned back. So Kenshin was working on slowing her down and preparing a reception for her.

The shadow spirits had brought a water bull into the fort's stables yesterday and were feeding it waterweed which they were transporting themselves from its swampy homeland. Yubaba was not unaware of the incantation that required a water bull. It was an old fashioned way of performing a memory wash but it was very thorough. The memories would be completely erased, leaving the object of the spell as if they were a newborn. They would also believe anything the caster of the spell told them. The idea did not sit well with Yubaba; she did not want even Chihiro to be under such an insidious spell.

Kenshin clearly saw her discomfort.

"It is the only way to keep her alive, Yubaba," he said gently. "I told you, I have no wish to kill her." His eyes turned back to the glass ball. Chihiro was settling back down to sleep. "She is too… intriguing for me to murder. I can see what has captivated our guest so."

He sighed and sat back, wincing as his gargantuan spell drained more power from him.

"Besides, the dragon is likely to be much less resistant if he knows that his mate is mine to command." He smiled to himself weakly. "Yes I imagine he would become much more amenable when he sees her face and realises that she neither recognises or likes him anymore because I have told her he is evil." He smiled again, and there was a strange light in his grey eyes that made Yubaba's heart turn cold. His eyes were not old and dead as they normally appeared but alive, alive and hungry, but for what she did not know. Maybe the amusement the human was giving him was something he was enjoying too much to let end.

"I may even keep her," he murmured, confirming Yubaba's thoughts. "She entertains me. It will be nice to have someone believe I am the savour of the worlds rather than the destroyer of them. She will believe everything I wish her too," he chuckled darkly. "Yes it will be very nice indeed for her to see my efforts in a favourable light."

Yubaba left the throne room with a heavy heart. If Kenshin did indeed carry out his plan for Chihiro it would break the dragon.

"But I hate him," she muttered. "Why should I care?" But she did, there was a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her what Kenshin planned was very wrong.

"_Plague someone else conscience!"_ Yubaba thought at herself viciously. _"You're wasting your time with me!" _

But the feeling refused to go away.

* * *

**Come on, show off, who spotted me paraphrasing George Orwell? ;-) **

**I want to say a HUGE thank you to Orion for betaing this. Even though her first language is French she did an amazing job. I don't think I ever questioned my phrasing and syntax as much as I did when I got the corrected chapter back from her. It was very refreshing.**

**Also I want to say a BIG thank you to all the fan artists who have provided such beautiful work for me recently. To get the fan art site go to my profile and follow the link, click on the gallery tab and enjoy.**


	31. Doubts and Loyalty

_**Doubts and Loyalty**_

Haku pretended yet again to be asleep when Yubaba came into the room. He preferred not to talk to her now, he felt far too feeble to bother needling her and she seemed happy to leave food for him and let him rest. Only once a week did she check him over and comment on his general health. He was sure she knew that he was getting rid of his food somehow; perhaps that was why she did not bother to stand over him and make sure he ate anymore. It was obviously doing no good. He did not need to growl and snap at her anymore either. He had better things to think about, like his impending fatherhood.

There was no denying that the news Chihiro had been hiding from him had been earth shattering. He had not been prepared for it at all. First he was terrified, how could he possibly be a father already? He had hardly had any time with his mate; he had planned on children at some point, but in a few years at least! He was a bonded spirit, he had never really had any family ties; he had no idea how to be a father! He did not even know if he had been fathered or if his mother had just decided she needed to have a child. A partner was not strictly necessary for a bonded spirit female to conceive, but more often than not a male was involved. He had grown up alone; he had neither needed nor wanted family.

That was until he met Chihiro; she had changed him. He could think of nothing more wonderful than having their children filling his home, swimming in his river, building sand castles on the beach and generally getting into mischief. He had wanted all those things, but not expected them quite so soon. He had been shocked; shocked and angry at Chihiro for hiding the news from him.

Then he had looked at her face. Her big brown eyes were wide and more then a little frightened. She was worried about how he would react. His heart had melted. How could she think that he was anything less than ecstatic? True it was sudden, but they were going to have a baby together. How could that ever be a bad thing? He did not remember exactly what he had said to her but he had done his best to try and reassure her that she and the child were more than wanted; they were loved, both of them.

Haku still felt terrified that he was going to be the worst sort of father. But as long as he had Chihiro he was sure she would guide him. His little one must be scared too, she was travelling the length of the spirit world to try and rescue him while at the same time dealing with a pregnancy and the separation symptoms that she would be feeling from the mating bond. He was surprised she could even wake up in the morning let alone lead a quest.

He frowned; Yubaba was still in his cell. He could hear her heavy breathing.

"You have little to smile about, dragon," she said, her cracked voice almost irritating Haku.

"_Oh, how wrong you are,"_ Haku thought. _"Captive, I may be, and my mate and child may be in danger but I have MUCH to smile about. I'm going to have a daughter!"_

He smiled to himself again. He felt like he had in the first few weeks when he and Chihiro had been courting. He could not keep the stupid grin off his face. He wondered if the elemental part of him knew about the pregnancy. It probably did. Chihiro had been at their home the first time he had spoken to her.

"Are you feeling lonesome, Yubaba, or are you gracing me with your presence for a good reason?" Haku asked glibly.

He slid his heavy eyelids open. The witch looked a little different. Her hair was not as neat as it normally was; untidy grey wisps were haloing her face. She had dark circles under her eyes as if she had not been sleeping and her complexion appeared more sallow than it usually did. Haku at first thought that Kenshin must be working her hard; his goal was close and he would be getting weaker. The witch would be required to use her power for his needs. Well, that was a kind of justice; the witch may drop dead of exhaustion if he was lucky. But his nostrils told him a different story. He could smell worry and anxiety in the air. She was hiding it well, but she could not lie to his nose. He frowned, curiosity aroused.

"What is bothering you, hag?" he asked sharply. "You reek of tension." Yubaba stiffened. She recovered quickly and smoothed out imaginary creases in her frilly blue dress.

"If I seem tense than it is your fault, dragon," she said absently to the fabric under her hands. She looked up and he saw something in the witch's plate sized eyes that he had thought never to see; fear. Yubaba was afraid of something. As if sensing his deduction, she became angry.

"This entire mess is your fault!" she shouted. "If you had not interfered… If you had left things as they were then I would have never have been driven from the bathhouse!"

Haku blinked at the witch owlishly. Now he was intrigued. How the witch could blame the situation on him was beyond him.

"The bathhouse had no custom, Yubaba," he said evenly. "It is a vital service and many spirits have come to rely on it. Your greed and self- indulgence drove them away. I was ordered by the Old Ones to step in." He held his head on one side and peered at her from beneath the green hair that had fallen in his face. "I may have no love for them now, but at the time I would never have dreamt of questioning their judgment. I did what I was ordered to and the bathhouse prospered under our joint management." He shifted, sitting up slightly. "So how is all this," he gestured to the cell around him, "my fault, hag?"

Yubaba's lips thinned as if she had bitten on a particularly sour lemon.

"It's your arrogance that has brought you here, dragon," the witch spat. She slammed the cell door shut, stalked across the claustrophobic room and perched herself on the stool in the corner opposite him. "Your arrogance will be the end of you!" she growled. "Do you remember the day you came back to the bathhouse? You strolled into my office without invitation and demanded half the premises as your own."

Haku shrugged.

"I was being fair," he said evenly. "I could have demanded it all. But I did learn a considerable amount from you while I was apprenticed to you, even if you did use me as a thief. I thought leaving you with half would reflect that."

"I WOULD HAVE SHARED, YOU IDIOT!" Yubaba roared. Haku was taken aback; he was so surprised by the witch's words that he was struck dumb. Yubaba gritted her teeth and her face contorted with anguish. "I knew the situation I was in, I was going to be broke. I was looking for a partner, someone to help me pull the place back together. Someone the staff would respect and trust." She glared down at him. "But you walk in and threaten me, threaten to take the place I had worked for centuries to build and maintain. That bathhouse was my life, dragon, and you stole it from me!" Yubaba clenched her hands to her chest. She looked lost for a moment. "I built that place up from nothing; it's my home and you invaded it like a virus. You gave me no choice; with the Old Ones backing you I could not refuse you. Soon you were changing contracts and routines that had been established for generations."

"The changes were needed," Haku said softly.

"But you did not ask me!" Yubaba hissed. "Soon I was totally obsolete. I kept accounts and helped with orders but…" she trailed off, shaking her head. "I knew I was no longer in charge anymore. What was the point in staying if every decision I wanted to make about what went on in my own home was taken by you?" she said softly.

Haku stared at her. He had never once thought about how his actions had affected the witch. He hadn't cared. The bathhouse was his original reason for staying in physical form and not choosing to idle away the next few centuries with his river. Yubaba had just been an annoyance, someone to be tolerated. She had used him in the past and he had made her pay by taking one of the most precious things in her life from her. Only taking her child would have been more painful, and Yubaba's sister was there to provide that humiliation already. Bou loved to visit his aunt, which no doubt was seen as a betrayal by Yubaba.

"Because of you, I left my sister to care for my beloved child so I could go and find someone to help me take back what is mine," said Yubaba softly. She looked around the cell. "I may have made a mistake," she murmured. "I was so blinkered by Kenshin's promise to get my bathhouse back I did not stop to think what he would ask of me in return."

Haku sighed. He still found the witch nauseating but he supposed he could have handled the situation at the bathhouse more diplomatically. He was going to have to force himself to apologise. Not because he felt sorry for the witch particularly, and he certainly did not hold himself responsible for her actions, but because she was starting to think that her alliance with Kenshin was unwise. He could possibly drive a wedge between them.

"I…" he cleared his throat. "I am sorry if you feel you have been mistreated, Yubaba," he said quietly. The words were hard to say but he forced them out. It was worth it for the look on Yubaba's face. Her jaw literally dropped. She gaped at him for over a full minute, eyes wide and uncomprehending. Haku was not sure he should be complemented or offended by her reaction so stayed silent.

"Water bull," she whispered softly.

"What?" asked Haku, thinking Yubaba had finally snapped.

"Kenshin brought a water bull to the fort. He's going to use it on Chihiro," said Yubaba, all in a rush.

Haku's brain took a moment to digest this piece of information; Yubaba was wringing her hands nervously. She obviously expected this news to have an impact on him.

What was a water bull used for again? He paled when the answer rose from the depths of his mind. The mad air spirit planned on taking his little one's memory from her, permanently. It did not work like Yubaba's name stealing spell; it did not lock the memories away. The memories in this spell were deleted entirely; washed away, never to be regained. The object of the spell was left with total amnesia and would trust utterly the one who had cast the spell.

Kenshin was going to take Chihiro away from him. Not only her, but their unborn child too.

Panic gripped Haku. His tired body was suddenly filled with the energy only pure terror could provide. He jumped to his feet. Yubaba squeaked in fright and scuttled away from the suddenly very lively dragon. She stood by the door, ready to bolt if she needed to. But Haku had already forgotten about her. He first tried pulling at the band on his waist, but he was still not thin enough to get it off. It did not stop him trying. The ring of metal bit cruelly into the flesh of his hips. He hardly noticed when the blood started flowing, but even with that as a lubricant, the band of metal remained in place.

With a roar of frustration, Haku attacked the chain that was connected to the band. He yanked at it over and over again, looking frantically for any link that appeared weaker than the rest. There was one, slightly thinner at one end of the link were it rubbed against the wall. Haku put his hands just above and below it and pulled. His finger joints popped with the strain. The chain squeaked with protest.

He kept pulling, but it was not enough and the chain held. He put his foot against the cell wall and used his leg as leverage as he pulled. His arm and thigh muscles burned and complained. His body was weak; it could not keep up. Haku howled as the muscles in his thigh tore. But he kept pulling, despite the pain. He had to get free! That was all that mattered. His little one was about to be snatched from him. His damaged leg seized up entirely and he was forced to drop to his knees.

He looked at his hands. His palms had been shredded by the chain, the blood making them too slippery to pull effectively anymore. He yanked at the chain again, this time bringing the almost indestructible links to his mouth.

He bit down hard.

Enamel crunched against metal and shattered. The pain was too much and Haku spat out the chain. Blood was filling his mouth and his shattered teeth throbbed with almost blinding agony.

He looked at his bloody hands and forced himself to calm down. He could not get free. He was weak after months in the tiny cell and his self imposed starvation. He could not get free! Blood trickled down his chin onto the sand below. But not just blood, salt water was mingling with the viscous red liquid.

Haku realised that he was sobbing brokenly. He hadn't even noticed. He clenched his teeth, focusing on the pain. It helped him concentrate. He could not help his mate in such a state. Panicking was not going to get him out any quicker. He raised his eyes. Yubaba stood at the door still. Her hand was covering her mouth and her eyes were wide with disbelief. Haku pulled his scattered wits together and swallowed his pride along with the blood in his mouth.

"Please help me," he begged. Yubaba's eyes got even wider. "You told me about Kenshin's plans because you dislike them," he declared, hoping he was right. "What he will do to her is very wrong," he whispered. He bowed. His body protested but he forced his forehead down into the sand. Yubaba gasped. Dragons did not make gestures of supplication; a dragon would normally bow to no one but the Old Ones. Haku kept his forehead against the sand and spat to clear his mouth of blood again.

"I beg you, Yubaba," he whispered. "Set me free; allow me to save my mate and my child." There was a noise, like a confused whimper. Haku looked up slightly to see Yubaba clenching the skirt of her dress, her hands balled into fists.

"I…I can't, Haku," she whispered. Her face wrinkled up in distress.

"Kenshin would never know," murmured Haku, pressing the witch, sensing she was wavering. "We could make it look as if I freed myself."

"I can't," repeated the witch.

"Please, Yubaba," he hissed. "You can have anything you want; the bathhouse, my wealth, everything. None of it is important to me!"

"You don't understand!" wailed the witch. "He will suspect me and he will only have to ask me and I will tell him everything!"

Yubaba freed her hands and pulled at the collar of her dress. There, sitting just below her collar bone was a small obsidian mirror pendent. Haku studied it dismally as the hope in his heart shrivelled up. There was a ruby eyed raptor, worked in silver, sitting on the face of the mirror. It was quite beautiful, or it would have been if it did not have such a sinister purpose. Yubaba was deeply under Kenshin's control, the Tac' Tal would ensure her loyalty to him. Unlike the pendant Haku had given to Chihiro, Haku was sure that Kenshin would utilise the Tac' Tal Yubaba was wearing to its full potential. She would not be able to lie to Kenshin if he asked her directly if she had helped him. Haku decided that when he got back to his mate he would destroy her pendant. It was not necessary with the bond they now shared and it was unfitting for her to wear it. He did not own his little one, he loved her. But it seemed Kenshin owned Yubaba.

"I have my own child to consider, Haku," Yubaba hissed. "I have to conform to Kenshin's wishes or I may never see him again!" She turned around and swept out of the room, locking the cell door behind her.

Haku slowly lay back on the sandy ground. His face throbbed; the leg with the torn muscle would not stop twitching. He was a mess, but he knew he would heal. His mind was empty; he had no idea what he should do next.

At that moment, Kenshin's spell siphoned off more of his energy. He moaned and the cell swam before his eyes. He did not even have time to cry out in pain before he fainted.

* * *

Yubaba's lip trembled. She used her power to help her practically fly down the corridor. She had to get away; away from Haku and his pleading eyes.

"He deserves it," the witch muttered. "He deserves all this and more! I took him in when he was lost and friendless and how did he repay my kindness? He's a greedy, arrogant snake that deserves everything he gets!" But the image of the dragon on his knees, shaking from head to foot, tears pouring from his jade eyes as he pleaded for release would not leave her mind. She gritted her teeth. It was no good; her resolve was weakening and that was something she could not allow to happen. She needed to stay true to Kenshin; if he suspected her of even thinking of betraying him she was sure she would find him to be painfully unmerciful. No she had to attend to her own concerns first. It was not her fault the human was involved in all this. If this whole mess was anyone's fault then it was the Lady's. She should have taken better care of her son.

Course of action decided, Yubaba headed to the throne room. With luck Kenshin would look favourably on her honesty. Her heart quailed at the prospect of confessing a failing to him. She knew he only tolerated her because she was of some use to him in his waning condition. She still had not forgotten the day he had struck her. It had been a rude awakening, to know that the spirit thought so little of her.

Finally, Yubaba was at the throne room doors. She smoothed a hand over her unruly hair and attempted to calm herself. She put what she thought was an expression of supplication on her face and sighed. This deal she had made with the powerful spirit was getting more and more troublesome by the day. Humility came no easier to Yubaba than it did to Haku, but she was learning rapidly how to bow and scrape. Pride was not an issue when she was technically Kenshin's property.

She pushed open the heavy doors and winced. The sun was directly overhead and was beating down upon the roofless hall. The azure blue sky did not even contain a hint of cloud and Yubaba immediately began to sweat. The sun bouncing off the white marble, of which the hall was composed, half blinded the old witch. Kenshin was easy to locate, however. The black stone throne he sat upon appeared to almost suck the light into it rather than reflect it, just like the spirit's long, jet black hair did. He had his hair unbound and it had fallen about his face and shoulders like a silken death shroud. He was resting an elbow on one of the throne's armrests and his cheek was resting against his long fingered hand. His skin was deathly pale and almost appeared translucent in the strong sunshine.

Yubaba moved closer. She was surprised to see that the ancient grey eyes were closed. He was sleeping; resting peacefully in the afternoon sun. She hesitated. Should she really be disturbing him? He was exhausted from the energy the spell was taking from him; he should be sleeping most of the time. Instead, he visited the local colony of shadow sprits every night to ensure their needs were met. He frequently apologised to the heads of various clans for asking so much of them. The shadow spirits however, were happy to help him; their debt to 'the night wind' could never be repaid.

Yubaba eyed the spirit warily. He was a complete contradiction; so kind and gentle for the most part, but distant. However, she knew he could be completely ruthless; his plans for Chihiro appeared to be designed to exact perfect vengeance on his mother. The human she had taken under her wing and nurtured, her tool to defeat him, he was going to make that tool his own. In doing so he would rip the defiance from her mate. Haku would be unable to even think about escape, not with his mate totally under the control of his captor. Yubaba suspected though that Kenshin was intrigued by Chihiro. He hungered to meet her and make her ally rather than adversary. After that, he could take his time to find out what it was about the human that had captivated a dragon and made his mother go against the rules of the spirit world to allow her to live at the bathhouse.

Yubaba knew she shouldn't care. Chihiro was a human, and a very annoying one at that. But Yubaba did feel sorry for her. She had been watching the girl in her crystal ball long enough to learn of her pregnancy. Kenshin had smiled when she had given him that particular piece of information. Yubaba did not want to think about any plans the ancient spirit may have for Haku's child.

"You appear to be pondering whether to wake me, Yubaba," said a low, crisp voice. Yubaba jumped. She realised she had been looking at the throne and not its dozing occupant. Her eyes snapped up to meet the bleary gaze of the air spirit. "I can smell your anxiety; it was enough to rouse me," he said a little more gently. He yawned and stretched, then sank back into his throne as if the activity had been too much for him. Yubaba frowned.

"You are not taking your medicine regularly enough," she accused.

"It interferes with my thinking," he replied evenly. "I need a clear head for all the things I must do. When I can hardly stand the cramps then I take it." He treated the witch to a chilling smile. "It works wonderfully but I also dislike the mood swings it subjects me to, and it's almost like being intoxicated if I take it too often."

"Well, I could replace the poppy juice with southern ocean willow bark and see if that is still a strong enough pain killer," mumbled the witch thoughtfully. Kenshin raised a black eyebrow.

"Poppy juice?" he queried. "You've been dosing me with opium?"

"Only a tiny bit!" the witch protested. "Not enough for you to get addicted to! It's a very fine pain killer and it's gentler on your physical form than the willow bark."

Kenshin shrugged.

"I trust your judgment in this; medicine was never something I took an interest in. I would, however, be grateful if you told me if you were giving me an addictive substance," he said mildly.

Yubaba bowed in answer. She was a fool; of course he would want to know! Spirits as well as humans could become dependent on certain substances. While spirits were unlikely to die of unpleasant physical side effects, they could be affected mentally. More than one spirit suicide Yubaba had heard of had been conducted under the influence of alcohol or some mind altering compound. Yubaba knew she herself was completely addicted to nicotine, though Kenshin would not allow her to smoke anywhere in his fortress except her own rooms. He hated the smell.

"What is the matter, Yubaba?" he asked softly, almost enticingly. "You appear distressed." Yubaba felt the pendent around her neck grow a little warmer, compelling her to tell the one who had given it to her the truth. She did not need compulsion, she was perfectly ready to tell Kenshin everything.

She bowed low. Another image of Haku prostrating himself before her filled her mind for a moment, and she shoved it away with an internal curse.

"I wish no longer to have contact with Haku," she said quietly. "He is starting to worm his way into my sympathies and ask me for his freedom." There was silence at her words for a long moment.

"And… you have thought about… helping him?" said Kenshin, choosing his words with deliberate care.

"Yes," replied Yubaba in the smallest of voices.

"Good," said Kenshin with a delighted laugh.

Yubaba straightened up so quickly that her spine cracked.

"What are you saying?" she hissed. "What twisted game do you play with me now?"

"No game," replied the spirit sternly. "It was an experiment on my part. I wanted to see if you were capable of compassion. It appears you are."

"What possible importance can that have?" spat the witch.

"I dislike your tone," replied Kenshin in a voice that was as hard as the obsidian ball behind his throne. His ancient grey eyes narrowed threateningly. Yubaba shrank back from him, the words to placate the spirit stuck in her now dry throat. "But I will answer," he said, glaring at her. "If you can feel compassion for the Dragon then that means you may feel compassion for my situation."

He held his head on one side. "Am I correct?" he asked. His voice virtually pulled the reply from her lips.

"Yes… yes, you are correct. I pity your situation; I would never have treated my child as your mother has treated you. She has made you what you are and I feel sorry for you." Yubaba said in a rapid monotone. She bit her lip; the Tac' Tal's influence was most disconcerting. She wondered if Haku had ever been tempted to use Chihiro's against her in such a way.

Kenshin slumped in his chair a little and relief was clearly written on his face.

"Forgive me, Yubaba, but I had to be sure that this was not all about the bathhouse for you. I need you to perform a few errands for me, sensitive ones. I needed to be certain that you would not play me false while you were so far from me."

"Wh-where are you sending me?" Yubaba stammered.

"To reunite some star crossed lovers," he said with a smile. "But you must make it very clear to our hero that he must not harm the others in the group. His wayward concubine will be his again if he lets Chihiro continue as planned."

Yubaba did not have the slightest idea what he was talking about.

"Why not just have this person let Chihiro go on alone? You want her separated from the others don't you?" she asked.

Kenshin smiled at her; it was almost a warm smile.

"There is dangerous country between here and my domain, and while I will do my best to slow the group down I do not want Chihiro alone until she crosses onto my land. I do not want to put her in unnecessary peril. I think letting her fall down a cliff has been traumatic enough for now."

Yubaba shook her head. She did not understand; he wanted to win but he did not want Chihiro hurt? He should just lock her up until his spell was complete. Kenshin laughed loudly as if he had heard her thoughts.

"Now where would be the fun in that, Yubaba?" he asked, confirming her suspicions.


	32. Of Caution and Rabbits

**Of Caution and Rabbits.**

Chihiro shook her head. She had a bad feeling in her stomach about the situation she now found herself in and it had nothing to do with her recent bout of morning sickness. Rin was striding ahead of her, back ridged with tension and head held high as if to belie the fact she was nervous. They had been travelling in a westerly direction along a route Rin half remembered. As the morning had progressed, Rin had remembered more and more about her surroundings. Chihiro could tell the depth of her amnesia was frustrating her surrogate sister. They had passed a small woodland pool an hour before. Rin had recounted a conversation she had had with one of her sisters there, but she could not remember her sibling's name or how old she was herself when the conversation took place. She had stood on the bank of the pool in silence for ten full minutes, fists clenched, trying desperately to remember more. But the memories would not come. It would take far more to break Yubaba's spell.

As much as Chihiro wished to help Rin, she was aware of the pressure of time. She had not dreamt of Haku for some time and her imagination was running wild with the possibilities of what could be happening to him. She needed to get him back soon, and there was still a long way to go according to Linca. The maps of the spirit world that Linca referred to were insanely complex, mainly because they magically updated themselves. All the shifting characters and symbols made Chihiro's head hurt and the map blur before her eyes. She was not alone; Scott could hardly read them any better. She guessed the spirit brain could process information more quickly than the human mind. Chihiro looked at the track she was walking on dejectedly. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how long she lived, she would never be as intelligent or as skilled as her sisters and mate were.

Her belly tightened and lurched. Chihiro swallowed her nausea and smiled. If she did not know any better she would think her child was telling her off for feeling sorry for herself. It was a bad habit left over from her years of living in the human world. Poor Chihiro who was sick in the head, nothing ever went right for her! But she was now Chihiro, mate of Haku, sister of Rin and Linca. Mistress of a bathhouse! The human who would save the spirit world from its biggest threat since its creation! She had no right to feel sorry for herself. She didn't have the time either. She had to find her mate and she also had to look after her confused sister.

Scott was walking alongside her, as was Linca. The water horse was scouting around the woods, probably tormenting the local spirits. There was the same mix of concern and tension on her companions' faces as there was on Chihiro's own. They were all worried about the same thing she was sure. What was it that had made Rin run from this place? Knowing the spirit as they all did, she was very unlikely to run from anything. As they got closer and Rin recognised more, Chihiro also began to wonder how much time had passed since Rin had started work at the bathhouse. The home she had been born in had certainty not been occupied for a very long time.

Chihiro was shaken out of her musings but a half strangled cry. Rin broke into a run and sprinted down the woodland track.

"Rin, stop!" shouted Scott.

"I remember this place!" she called over her shoulder, eyes shining. "The main road is just up ahead!"

Seeing they could not stop her, the humans broke into a run. Linca sprang lightly past them, her small legs pumping like well oiled pistons. She easily caught up with her sister and kept pace with her.

"I wish they would not make it look so easy," panted Scott, slowing his pace a little so not to outdistance Chihiro. His long legs could have easily carried him forward much faster but he did not want to leave her alone. Chihiro smiled to herself.

"I don't think they do it on purpose..." she gasped. "They aren't confined by physical limitations; their muscles can be stimulated with magic if they get tired and gravity is something that they work with rather than fight against."

"Well..." puffed Scott. "I can see why you fell for one... they are..." He shook his head. Chihiro did not know if he was saving his breath or simply did not have the words to describe the ethereal beauty of many of the spirit world's inhabitants. A few minutes later however, he spoke again.

"You know... this whole thing..." he began.

"It makes me uneasy too," interrupted Chihiro, saving him from explaining.

"I'm not uneasy," he huffed. "I just think this is another very convenient distraction from our mission."

Chihiro skidded to a halt.

"You think this is a trap!" she wheezed.

"I think this has "trap" written all over it in twelve story neon illuminated letters," growled Scott. He took Chihiro by the arm and pulled her forward.

"There is not much we can do about it, but I would advise caution; we should treat our destination as hostile till proven otherwise."

Chihiro nodded; he was right.

"We must try and make her see the danger," he murmured more to himself than Chihiro. "At least send one of us to fly by the place and take a look."

Up ahead Rin and Linca had stopped. With a last mad sprint the humans caught up, Scott practically having to drag Chihiro. Chihiro wondered where all her strength had gone, but in truth, she knew; the little dragon in her belly was using it to grow. They caught up with the spirit women. Rin and Linca were standing at a crossroads. Rin was staring at the road as if it was going to bite her. The "main road" as Rin had called it was little more than a ridged and potholed dirt track. In places, fully mature trees were growing in the middle of it, with only the odd paving stone remaining.

Rin was blinking rapidly as her eyes swept from one side of the road to the other.

"Rin?" whispered Chihiro, frightened of startling her. "What's wrong?"

"I... I... I was at the meeting that agreed to make this road," she stammered. "I was given special dispensation to be present as it was my idea. Concubines normally did not get involved in government affairs..." she trailed off. "But I was different... He was going to bond with me... make my child his heir..." She stared around in bewilderment. "This road was finished when I left; I remember running on it... I tripped and broke my wrist... I kept running anyway."

Chihiro swallowed as she listened to Rin. Her anxiety increased. She was not the only one; Linca's hands were worrying the edges of her tunic. She bit her lip and looked at Chihiro. Neither of them wanted to burden Rin with their fears and with Rin's mood being far from stable she would not listen to them if they were not delicate about the situation. They were saved from the dilemma when a flushed and still panting Scott stepped forward and boldly took Rin's hands in his own. Rin jumped in surprise, startled out of her half formed memories.

"Rin," he said softly. "I think we should rest here for a while."

"Why?" she asked, looking questioningly up at him. "I'm alright, really I am!"

"I know that," he said soothingly. "But things have changed since you left. The person you left may not even be here anymore. We may be walking into the domain of a hostile spirit."

"I can take care of myself," retorted Rin with a frown. She tried to pull her hands away from the tall human's but he tightened his grip. He smiled at her warmly.

"Yes, I know you can," he reassured her. "You are strong and quick witted." He released her hands and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her sideways slightly to look at Chihiro. Chihiro at that moment was doing an excellent impression of a landed fish, still panting from her run. After weeks on the road she was sure she looked rather dishevelled too.

"You may be able to defend yourself," said Scott softly "But is this worth putting your pregnant sister in danger?" Rin blinked several times and paled a little; this was clearly something she had not considered. Scott stepped away from her, giving her a couple of seconds to consider what he had said before he spoke again.

"We are going to go with you, Rin, and are willing to meet whatever we find there. But we must have an idea of what we are going to face. Let Linca investigate a little and the Nygel can help her." Linca gave an indignant squeak. She still barely tolerated the horse spirit. Scott gave her a warning look.

"Give us a day, Rin," whispered Scott. "It will be dark in a few hours; Chihiro needs rest and if I am honest so do I." Rin looked up at him, surprised he was admitting such a weakness so easily. He shrugged and smiled at her.

"I'm only human," he said his smile broadening to a grin. Rin looked from Chihiro to Scott and back again. Her face hardened; she had decided.

"We will spend the night here. You humans can rest and I'll look after you both," she announced then turned and stalked into the woods. She dumped her pack on the ground and began to remove the camping equipment.

Linca and Chihiro stared at Scott.

"What?" he asked. "I have a sister," he added, as if it explained everything.

"You are a lot smarter than you look," exclaimed Linca.

"Thanks," said Scott dryly, turning to follow Rin.

"Of course, you look like a retard," the sprite snickered. Scott sighed and walked towards the very busy Rin.

"That was not nice," muttered Chihiro.

"We don't want him getting ideas above his station!" Linca protested. Chihiro rolled her eyes. No matter how dire the situation, Linca could be relied on not to take it too seriously.

They made camp and the Nygel returned from hunting for his food to be told that he could not sleep off his bulging flanks; he had to go scouting again.

The equine spirit flatly refused to enter any town; he was far from welcome in most spirit dwellings, mainly because of his kind's voracious appetite and reputation for eating anything of under a certain size. Linca only refrained from commenting because Chihiro stamped on her foot.

The Nygel and Linca melted into the woodland a short time later.

Rin was restless; she gathered more wood than they could possibly use in a week, prepared a massive meal from several rabbits she caught and some local shrubs as a garnish. She handed Chihiro an entire bunny on a stick and a metal bowl full of leafy salad. Chihiro's stomach shrank. She was not normally squeamish, but the smell of the meat made her stomach turn. She really wanted some fish. Some freshly caught trout, grilled over hot coals... Or some tuna sushi, using only the best of the belly meat would be even better! Her stomach rumbled at the thought. She looked at the rabbit again and at Rin's concerned face. Chihiro bit into the animal. The hot juices that flowed into her mouth would have normally been delicious, but it was all she could do not to spit it out. After an internal struggle she swallowed the meat.

Scott eyed her suspiciously as he tore into his rabbit while Chihiro took only delicate little bites. When Rin stepped away to get water from the local stream, Scott snatched Chihiro's rabbit from her and replaced it with his own almost stripped carcass. As he wolfed down Chihiro's rabbit, happily licking the juices from his lips, he opened his pack and produced a shiny foil packet. He leaned over and pushed it into her pocket.

"Snack on that later," he said with his mouth half full. "You look a little green."

"What is it?" she asked.

"There's one pack of dried bananas and peaches and another of dried fish. It will all be a lot less taxing on your stomach than game meat," he said with a wink.

Chihiro could have hugged him but Rin returned with her water. She was pleased to see her meal had been devoured and sat down to eat her own. There was little conversation and shortly after Rin had eaten and disposed of the carcasses the sun went down and the stars came out. Scott used an old oak near the fire to prop himself against and appeared to have no intention of moving for the rest of the night. Rin sat close to the fire, the light reflecting in her dark eyes. Her head began to nod.

"Rin," whispered Chihiro. "Go to bed, we will wake you as soon as they come back."

Rin protested, but finally her sleepy brain could not think of an excuse. She crawled into her tent of plastic sheets and was soon snoring gently. Chihiro guiltily nibbled on her fruit and fish while Scott dozed against the trunk of his tree. She looked up; the stars were shining brightly above her. She wondered if Haku was able to see the sky where he was.

She put another peach in her mouth but instantly spat it out. It tasted of metal! She looked at the peaches in the bag; they seemed normal apart from one that had little dark spots on it. She picked it up. She then realised the problem was not with the peach, it was with the hand that held it. Blood was dripping steadily down her fingers. She wiped at her hand. There was no pain, she was just bleeding. It was then that she saw that it was her mating scar that was bleeding. One corner of it had opened and blood was oozing steadily from it. Chihiro stared at it, not quite ready to believe what she was seeing. Her brain kicked in and she hurriedly located a first aid kit. Bleeding was still bleeding even if it was not a wound she had anything to do with. Her heart was cold. She wanted to scream at the sky that she was tired; she just wanted to go home and be with her mate and await the birth of their child in comfort. But she could not do that, she did not have the luxury of falling apart. She cleaned and bandaged her hand. She would invent an excuse about it later. No sense worrying everyone when nothing could be done about it.

Once her hand was dealt with she sat down and took a deep breath. She felt in her pockets. She drew out a small glass vial and a lock of hair. The hair would normally be a shiny green-black but it was matt black and lifeless. It felt coarse to the touch; it was not the gloriously silky hair of her mate. It was not the hair that she would occasionally weave into the odd small braid while he slept. He would wake and angrily pull them out, complaining that he was not her doll to play with. He was a mean, terrible dragon and his mate of all people should respect his dignity. His minor rants did not stop her playing with his hair though. The hair in her hand he had cut from his own head to be given to her.

The sample of lake water was not encouraging either. It had a distinct green sheen to it, as if it was beginning to turn stagnant. The lake would be suffering without its physical self and it appeared the physical manifestation of her mate was also in poor shape, if his hair could be trusted as an accurate indicator. Chihiro clutched the water and the hair to her. She forced back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She was going to rescue him! But she was running out of time; he was getting weak and she would make no progress until they had resolved Rin's history. Chihiro felt so torn; beloved sister or beloved mate? How could she possibly choose? She couldn't leave Rin to face her past alone and she could not afford to be delayed.

"What do I do?" she whimpered into the night. Whether she remembered the prophecy with clarity at that moment or whether some other being reminded her, Chihiro could never be sure, but the Old Man of Arron's voice echoed thorough her head.

_"__The options are numerous, the choices hard. If she can keep placing one foot before the other she will walk on through the haze, through which my insight grows dim." _

Chihiro smiled up at the stars.

"One foot before the other," she murmured. Her path had been decided for her, but she had to have the strength to walk it. She put the hair and the vial back in her pockets. The situation may be another cleverly organised diversion by Kenshin, but it could not be as bad as being thrown down a cliff. She suspected the spirit just wanted her to waste time. She would not give him the satisfaction; she would aid Rin then make it to his cursed desert in record time.

There was a hoot and a flutter of wings. Linca and the Nygel had returned.

* * *

**Betcha thought I'd forgotten about you! Here is 7 pages with more on the way soon I hope. Next Rin meets the man she ran from. (Grins) Who thinks this will be a happy reunion? Been some wonderful fan art submitted to the site during my silence too. The link to the site is on my profile.**


	33. Rinako

_**Rinako**_

The morning sun was warm on Chihiro's back. She walked carefully over the rough road as the loose cobbles had a tendency to move under her feet. It would not do if she fell, her daughter would not appreciate it and her stomach would like it even less. Chihiro wondered if there would ever be a time when she would not feel sick in the morning. She could not remember what it was like to wake refreshed and hungry for her breakfast.

She thought back to the previous night in an effort to take her mind off her churning stomach. Well, if it was churning, it was not on the fast cycle at least; she could ignore it.

Linca had returned looking grim. She had spoken to Scott and Chihiro in hushed tones, not wishing to wake Rin.

"The place is a dump!" she hissed. "Barely inhabited, those who are there are either slaves who can't leave or spirits too frightened to try and leave. There are lots of guards and they look like they might be a little free with their katanas. Most of the spirits I saw where weak woodland spirits. Little sprites that are easy to intimidate."

"They work in the paddy fields outside the citadel during the day," interrupted the Nygel with a snort. "By the look of them they don't get much of the rice they harvest. Even those who are not slaves might as well be. The guards herd them all out to work and round them all up at sunset and lock them back in the citadel." Linca for once did not glare at the horse for interrupting her.

"Most of them live in hovels by the citadel walls; they don't have access to the centre of the city." She sighed. "The centre looks very plush; there is a small wooden castle with gold leaf on the roof. I saw several well dressed people wondering around some very nice gardens. My guess is that they are living very well off the people slaving in the fields. They probably export most of what they produce. I saw quite a few carts leaving on the south side of the Citadel. The road is in much better repair there."

Chihiro's heart sank. It did not sound like the kind of place any of them should visit.

Rin had been told in the morning. She had looked confused.

"I don't remember any slaves," she murmured. "I used to go into the market for jewellery once a month. I could not leave the carriage but I saw the townspeople. They looked well fed and happy. I almost envied them their simple lives..." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to concentrate.

"Don't force yourself," murmured Scott. "It will come when it is ready"

Rin relaxed and nodded gravely.

"Why don't you ride for a while, mistress?" asked the water horse, startling her out of her musings. "The ground is very uneven, if you should fall..."

"I'm fine," murmured Chihiro, rolling her eyes a little. The horse's protectiveness was annoying and it caused stabs of loneliness in her heart because he was reacting as Haku would. If the dragon had had his way she would be at home for the fourteen months of her pregnancy and not attempting a rescue. The Nygel clearly felt the same. "I am pregnant, Snaffu, not ill."

The water horse's ears flattened slightly and his tail swished with irritation.

"You said yourself that you cannot enter the citadel anyway," Chihiro pointed out gently. "Two humans and two spirits travelling together is strange enough... we best keep you out of sight as we get nearer." The horse laid his ears back on his skull and he bared his flat, white, equine teeth and the sharp fangs that terrified lower spirits slipped into view over the herbivore incisors. He was angry.

"Are you ashamed to be seen with the likes of me?" he asked in an accusing snort. Chihiro was in no mood to be intimidated by a flesh eating, water? horse, however. She stepped forward and firmly ran a hand down his neck.

"Of course not," she said in a crisp tone. "But I don't want you frightening the populous and if anything goes wrong we will need a friend on the outside." The Nygel's ears pricked forward at that and his lips slackened and fell closed. "That's better," sighed Chihiro. "Now, do you think we could get to this place without you acting like a week old foal?"

Abashed, the Nygel trotted forward, swishing his tail. Chihiro contemplated throwing up on him as he passed her but she clamped her jaw shut and took deep breaths. It would all be fine; she was just a little queasy. She fished in her pocket for some candied ginger. She had no idea what she would have done without it, Scott really had thought of everything. She eyed the tall young man, as she chewed on the strong tasting root to settle her rebellious stomach. He was walking next to Rin; he was head and shoulders above the tall spirit woman which made Chihiro feel slightly better about only reaching his chest. He was talking to the spirit woman in a low tone; Rin was nodding grimly at his words. Though she could not hear what was being said, Chihiro got the impression that Scott was gently warning Rin not to get her hopes up too high.

Chihiro wondered how they would have managed without his practical advice and quick wit. The short answer was they would not.

Chihiro made to trot after the people ahead of her when something pulled at the hem of her tunic. She looked down thinking she had caught herself on some of the overgrown vegetation that encroached on the road. But when she looked down, Chihiro found herself staring into a pair of large, serious, violet eyes.

"Kisho," Chihiro breathed. The toddler pulled at her tunic again and a chubby hand beckoned her down to his level. Chihiro crouched down and could not help stroking the child's midnight black hair. It had got longer and it was now standing up all over his head in a series of soft spikes. It was like the finest silk under her hands. "What are you doing here?" asked Chihiro, concern leaking into her voice.

"You must be careful in this place," said the child in a hushed tone. "It's not the place your sister remembers and she is still legally his... You will come to no harm, but her..." The child shook his head. "My brother wants you to come to him without support; he will strike at those close to you and remove them." Chihiro's heart chilled for a moment. She looked to her fellow travellers and back to the child. "My mother had no advice for you so did not come; this meeting, she says, is fated."

Chihiro sighed. In other words as it was not Chihiro herself that was in direct danger the goddess could not intervene.

"Thank you for the warning, Kisho," murmured Chihiro. "But your mother is right, we have to go there." The little boy frowned, shuffled forward and placed his hands on Chihiro's belly.

"You must be careful," he said seriously, "both you and my mate." Chihiro nearly threw up all over the child.

"Mate?" she queried weakly, hoping the child did not mean what she thought he meant.

"Your daughter," said the child as if it was obvious, blinking his violet eyes. "When she grows up she will be my mate." Chihiro continued to stare incredulously at the child.

"Did your mother tell you this?" she whispered.

"No," the child replied with a winning smile, displaying two teeth in his gums. "I decided. I like the way she feels when I talk to her." He rubbed his hands gently up and down Chihiro's stomach. "She's warm and strong, I like her," he announced. Chihiro closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated on not yelling at the child. He was still a baby, even if he could talk; he probably did not understand what he was saying. Her daughter was not even born and she already had admirers. She could guess what Haku would say about all this.

"That will be my daughter's decision, Kisho," said Chihiro as gently as she could. "And she won't be ready for anything like that for years. When you are grown up, you will feel differently." She patted his head again.

"No, I won't," argued the child. "Your daughter will be a half breed; no one will want to bond with her, but I like her as she is. There is no one better for her than me." Chihiro raised an eyebrow. There it was, even in one so young. That spirit arrogance that assumed they were better than those of human breeding. Chihiro stood, getting away from the child's grasping hands. Who knew what he was saying to her poor little girl? She would be jaded and cynical before she was even born. Chihiro rested a hand on her stomach.

"My daughter will choose who is right for her when she is ready, _child_, not before," snapped Chihiro, emphasising the word 'child' as she spoke. "That may be you but it may be a human or even no one." Chihiro's fingers tightened on her stomach. "For her sake, I hope she chooses better than to join your dysfunctional family, small one," she half growled. With that she turned and left the child standing in the road. When she heard the sob behind her Chihiro's heart melted.

"Auntie is mean!" the child bawled. Chihiro turned back to him, ready to comfort the child. For half a second she saw the gorgeous blue skinned figure of the goddess flash into being beside him, her midnight black hair trailing over the rough stony ground. She was holding her child and stroking his hair, soothing him. She realised Chihiro had seen them. She beamed at Chihiro, apparently unconcerned that she had insulted her child. Chihiro realised that the goddess was pleased with her. She was fulfilling her role as aunty. She was keeping Kisho humble and making him realise he could not have everything he wanted. The pair faded into nothing, leaving Chihiro staring at the road. She felt a faint tickle of warmth at the back of her mind. Was her daughter laughing at her?

"You and I are going to have a chat as soon as you can talk," Chihiro muttered. "No betrothals before you are past puberty or your father may lock you up for half a century."

"Chihiro!" Rin shouted. "We are leaving you behind!"

"Coming!" Chihiro called back. She shook her head, sighed and tried not to think of the fact that the child of gods had practically demanded she let him "marry" her daughter.

* * *

The citadel itself was built of giant old red sandstone blocks. Battlements were mounted on the tops of the walls and there were archers' towers at regular intervals. The walls looked as if they had defended the citadel at regular intervals. They were pitted and scarred; in places had warn so thin they had been replaced by blocks of the local stone which was golden in colour. The end result was an eye-jarring and asymmetrical patchwork quilt effect. The huge doors to the citadel were open but guarded. The two guards were dressed entirely in black, boiled leather armour. They were both boar spirits; ugly, bad tampered looking brutes. The yellow, piggish eyes watched the group suspiciously as they approached. When they reached the gates they stopped and bowed politely. Chihiro was glad the Nygel had left them a few hours ago. She was sure he would have taken exception to how the guards turned their noses up at her. Chihiro knew humans could smell when they first entered the spirit world but her odour had long since vanished. The guards were just trying to insult her and Scott. Scott did not look as if he cared and Chihiro was not about to ruin things by pulling a "do you know who I am?" routine.

"State your business!" a boar snapped at Rin.

"I wish to see your overlord, I am an old friend of his," said Rin imperiously.

"The overlord is expecting no guests," growled the first boar. "Especially not one who travels with humans."

"They are our retainers," said Linca. She pulled at her tunic as if to straighten it but somehow managed to pull it down to expose the top of her light blue cleavage. "We stole them as children and now they serve us." The second guard grunted but both of the guards' eyes were on the little sprite. Linca fingered a lock of her white hair and gave the guards a smouldering look.

"We were just passing through and thought to pay your overlord a call," Rin said unsteadily, clearly unsettled by the sprite's antics. Linca ran the tip of her tongue over her blue lips and smiled at the guards.

"You know what females are like," she said in a voice that was the auditory equivalent of molten chocolate. "We don't like to plan things; we are too spontaneous for that." She pouted prettily. Chihiro could swear the boars were on the verge of drooling. "Your master will be disappointed if you don't let us in," she wheedled.

"There is a protocol..." the first guard struggled to say. "We can't just..." His eyes widened as Linca stepped forward and rested a hand on his bristly arm.

"Why don't you two lovely boys tell me what I need to know around the corner?" she offered, batting her white eyelash framed eyes at the two hapless males. Chihiro marvelled at the stupidity of the guards as they nodded and gestured for the sprite to walk before them. Linca threw such a sway into her hips as she walked that Chihiro almost felt motion sick watching her. Scott sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked bored. Rin however was blushing scarlet, her mouth hanging open. The guards disappeared from view with Linca.

"Why, the brazen little hussy!" Rin spluttered. "There was no need for her to go that far!"

"You've got it wrong, Rin," sighed Scott. "Our pygmy temptress has no intention of letting those boars see any more of her than they already have." There was a flash of light and Linca's grinning face peered around the doors.

"Even I have standards, Rin," she announced with a chuckle. "Those bristles would cause friction burns in the most uncomfortable of places and those cold piggy snouts are not nice to kiss."

Rin stared at her. "Was that a concussion spell?" she asked weakly.

"Yep," confirmed the sprite. "They will wake up tomorrow with an almighty headache. But I suggest we press on before they are found." The party rushed past the prone bodies of the boar spirits and entered the winding streets of the lower citadel.

Most of the buildings that surrounded them appeared to have been constructed with no planning. They were made of wood, and in some cases, mud. Most were uninhabited and many streets had an air of abandonment about them. Many had sunken roofs and some had caved in altogether. The streets were unpaved and every time they passed a dwelling that appeared occupied there would be household refuse pilled next to the building. The sewers were open channels that ran down the street in occupied areas. The smell was indescribable. The mixture of excrement and urine slowly turning rancid in the sun released enough sulphur and ammonia into the air to make the eyes water and the nose run.

It was too much for Chihiro's delicate stomach. She vomited more than once. Linca commented that the puke smell could only be an improvement. Scott tied a handkerchief over his nose and mouth. He was as green as Chihiro was but had managed to keep his breakfast down. Rin and Linca were in no better state; they had sensitive noses. Rin looked around her, her brown eyes not quite believing what she was seeing.

"It was never like this," she murmured. "What has happened?"

"I'd say the fella at the top either does not know of his people's condition, or does not care," mused Linca while trying to unsuccessfully wipe sewerage off her shoes. "I've heard of places like this" she continued. "Yubaba is "Good King Wenceslas" compared to some of the tyrants out there. Many low spirits are willing to live in squalor if it means they won't be preyed upon by the big carnivore spirits."

"Who is Good King Wenceslas?" asked Rin.

"Never mind," murmured Linca sourly.

"We better head for the place where the rich spirits live," said Scott blandly, his voice slightly muffled by his improvised mask.

"Oh! His lordship is finding the city not to his liking?" teased Linca. Scott gave her a flat look.

"Actually, I was more concerned with catching or some other nasty bug," he said coolly. "Then again, I'm young and reasonably fit so I can probably survive anything this place may give me." He rubbed his chin as if thinking. "I wonder how a pregnant woman would handle a nasty stomach flu?" he said to no one in particular. The spirit women's eyes widened with understanding.

"Stop scaring them, Scott!" Chihiro snapped. She pushed past the tall human and her spirit sisters, determined to prove she was in good health by marching quickly to their destination. The party walked in silence as they headed up a slight incline. The neighbourhood slowly began to change. Wood gave way to mud brick as the primary building material which in turn gave way to stone. The road became gravelled and then paved as it got steeper. Soon the group were walking up a broad, sunny avenue that had pruned cherry trees lining the pavements. Again, many buildings were empty but there was more activity.

"This is the merchant quarter," murmured Rin. "There was a market here every week."

"Looks fairly dead now," muttered Scott. They had only seen two spirits so far, women in fine kimonos. But they had seen no one at all in the lower city. The spirits had completely ignored the party of dishevelled travellers. Linca had wanted to stop one of them and make the woman greet them. Scott pointed out that they were not supposed to even be within the citadel walls and she dropped the notion.

Eventually they came to a white marble wall with a red lacquered door in it.

"The palace is through there," said Rin in a small voice. Again the door was guarded, this time by what looked like two handsome young men. They wore black robes and appeared to carry no weapons. They had golden eyes that followed the travellers closely as they approached. They had bright blond hair that was cropped quite short but fell naturally into shaggy spikes. They were almost identical except one was slightly taller making Chihiro think they were related. The only slightly non-human feature they displayed were their nails; long and curved and they came to a very sharp looking point. They reminded Chihiro of Meeka's wicked claws.

"Lion spirits," Linca hissed between her teeth. "If they are mercenaries they will cost a fortune. They almost never leave their prides." One of the spirits yawned as if bored, but Chihiro knew he was just showing off his impressive feline canines.

"State your business, travellers," ordered the slightly taller spirit in a low tone. "We are expecting no guests." Rin stepped forward before anyone could stop her. She drew herself up to her full height, almost as tall as the shorter lion spirit and gave them a look that clearly said they were privileged that she spoke to them.

"Convey a message to your master that Rinako is here to see him," he demanded. The guards looked at each other for a split second, but otherwise they showed no sign of surprise or recognition of Rin. The taller spirit nodded to his companion. The spirit crouched then back flipped gracefully over the ten metre high marble wall. The remaining guard gestured to the door and it slowly opened.

Chihiro gasped at what she saw. Beyond the wall was a garden; a garden that seemed to have gathered everything lush, fragrant and beautiful and cram it into one space. There were stone statures of dragons, overgrown with moss; calm pools of water where frogs sang to each other; weeping willows trailed their green finger like leaves in the water as if trying to touch their own reflections. There were lawns and terraces, palm trees and cherry trees. There was every type of flower Chihiro could name and many she couldn't. Her eyes swept over hydrangeas, azaleas, jasmine, magnolias, sunflowers and roses; so many colours that they all blurred together. The smell was that of high summer; heady and divine.

The guard bowed to Rin.

"Welcome home, my lady Rinako," he purred softly. "We were not expecting you until tomorrow; we have search parties out looking for you so we could bring you here in comfort." He bowed lower. "Please forgive our rude welcome." Rin said nothing; she was transfixed by the garden. The lion spirit turned and bowed to Chihiro.

"You are welcome too, dragon mate," he said formally.

"How do you know her?" asked Scott sharply. The guard smiled, showing his sharp teeth.

"We were informed that our lady was travelling with the mate of the dragon that runs the witch sisters' bathhouse. As she was the only human female present I assumed that she must be the famous Chihiro."

Scott opened his mouth to tell the spirit that he had not actually answered the question but was interrupted by Rin moving through the door into the garden. She turned just over the threshold and looked back at her family and friend.

"This was my home," she breathed. "You will be welcome here" she announced. She turned again and walked into the garden, clearly intending to be followed. Linca fell into step next to Chihiro.

"Her real name is Rinako?" she murmured in an undertone.

"It would seem so," Chihiro replied. Linca pursed her lips.

"I could have guessed it myself," she muttered under her breath. Chihiro smiled at the sprite even though her heart was heavy with dread. This place Rin had once called home had changed. There was also still no answer as to why Rin had left this place.

Chihiro sighed and followed her sister. All she could do was follow and hope.

* * *

**Ha ha! I update again! And there is more to come, already started on the next chap but may not post it till after I get back from my holidays in 4 weeks time.**

**We now have a fan made and run forum for all my work. So if you want to know exactly what is going on with my writing, or want to discuss chapters, themes and possible plots... or even none of those things then this is the forum for you! The link is on my profile if you want to sign up. Its fun, but make sure you read the rules before you post ;-) **


	34. The Snake

_**The Snake**_

The gardens were truly magical. Chihiro thought their beauty may even be enhanced by the squalor of the lower city.

"To rest my eyes in shades of green," muttered Scott under his breath. Chihiro had no idea what he was quoting but it seemed to fit. They were walking through a stand of mature bamboo. The spearhead shaped leaves filtered the light making the green ridged stems of plants appear to almost glow in the dappled shade. There was springy moss under foot and small pools from recent rainfall that glistened with a mirror like shine when spied between the tightly packed boughs.

It was so peaceful that Chihiro could perfectly understand why, if you lived in such a place, that the cares of the outside world would find difficulty in penetrating the shroud of peace and beauty the gardens were wrapped in. Just as the sunlight was filtered by the leaves, becoming weak and diffuse; so would the problems of the outside world become diluted. These gardens were a haven of ignorance, designed to divert attention away from the citadel and its condition. Ignorance was indeed bliss.

Scott seamed to have the same uneasy feelings. His sharp blue eyes moved around the garden rapidly, occasionally narrowing. The two spirits ahead of the humans however seemed completely at ease. Linca swung her arms and hummed to herself as she walked and Rin strolled forward with a slight spring to her step and a small smile on her face. The humans watched the spirits warily.

"Is there a spell on this place?" whispered Scott to himself more than to the small human at his side.

"No idea," murmured Chihiro in reply. "If there is, then it does not affect us." Scott nodded, his face grim.

"This place gives me the creeps," he muttered. It was Chihiro's turn to nod in agreement.

Something flashed before them through the green boughs, a glimpse of yellow and red.

"Ooo what is that?" asked Linca excitedly to no one in particular.

"It's the castle," replied the lion spirit that was guiding them. "Lord Hikaru has the finest castle of any of the local domains."

"It's one of the reasons he keeps getting attacked," said Rin dreamily. "The other domains are jealous of his wealth." A small frown fluttered over her face. "Some of them were angry with him too; he refused to sell them his rice reserves when there was a famine."

"Why should he?" asked the lion spirit, his golden eyes fixing on the spirit woman. "The rice is his, his people grew it. Why should he be generous to those who have miss managed their lands? Let them clutch their bellies in hunger and wait until they have their own food again." He glanced quickly at the humans following him and smirked. "It may be painful but it would not kill them. The other domains should spend more time farming and less time preparing for battle. My Lord is not an easy foe to best."

Rin shook her head as if to try and clear it. Soon the contented smile was back on her face.

"You are quite right," she said with a chuckle. The lion spirit smirked knowingly but bowed to Rin respectfully. "As painful as it is to starve it's not as if any die; the hunger could indeed teach them a lesson."

"My lady is kind to accept the opinion of one such as myself," the lion spirit purred. "My lord will be glad to see you again I am certain."

Rin nodded, smiling happily. The lion spirit gestured for them to continue following him. The Bamboo woods ended abruptly. Chihiro blinked in the now strong sunlight. They were standing at the edge of a wide moat. In the middle of the ring of still glassy water rose a huge red painted wooden pagoda. The lower levels had small windows and spikes of sharpened bamboo protruding from the walls. However the sixth and seventh floors had large windows of coloured glass. The protruding gables of the upper levels were covered in gold leaf and had statues of different animals on every level perched on the gables. Rat, monkey, goat, dragon... all covered in gold and exquisitely detailed.

"Now that is a castle," murmured Scott with approval. "I wish mine was like this."

"You really have a castle?" asked Chihiro. She had always thought Linca was exaggerating when she talked about Mulvey-sama and his castle.

"It is a pile of stones compared to this," he sighed.

Rin was staring, oddly making no comment on whether she remembered the building. The lion spirit again gestured for them to follow. They approached the moat in stunned silence. The lion spirit made a complicated gesture at the castle and muttered a word that Chihiro could not quite hear. There was a clang and a rumble. Suddenly a platform burst from beneath the still moat, sending a mini deluge of water droplets raining down on the travellers. None touched them, the water bounced off a glowing transparent wall the lion spirit had formed above them. Chihiro was impressed, most of the spirits she knew used magic, but few of them wielded it as casually as this lion spirit did. In her acquaintance, only the likes of the witch sisters and Haku used magic so adroitly they hardly needed to think about its use. Haku himself claimed not to think about using small amounts of magic at all. Chihiro believed him, for most of his castings he did not utter a word or even make a gesture.

Chihiro did her best to ignore the pain in her heart when she remembered the genuine smile of pleasure that would cross her mates face when he made her presents with magic, usually flowers. He loved to surprise her and often joked that she was too easy to please.

"You are the mate of a water god now; you could at least be a little more demanding. I like a challenge."

Chihiro would laugh at his words, but all the time in the back of her mind she was sure he was sincere. If there was something she wanted, he would get it for her. As endearing as his devotion to her was, she was also aware that she could be spoiled rotten by him. Besides, she wanted nothing but him anyway and unbelievingly she had him.

"_I don't at the moment,"_ she reminded herself bitterly. _"But I will again, even if I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. I am not having our child without him being with me!"_

Chihiro was so absorbed in her inner monolog that she hardly noticed that she had crossed the metal bridge that led to the castle. She did not see Rin's shoulders tense or her face pale as they entered the lower levels of the castle. She only really woke from her daydreaming when they entered an elevator.

"_What am I doing!"_ she thought at herself severely. _"This is no time to let the separation symptoms get to me! Rin is depending on us all!" _

Refocused, she concentrated on what was happening in the elevator around her. Rin looked very nervous. She was plucking at her nails and her shoulders were hunched. Chihiro could also see Scott was concerned about her sister. He stood beside her, arms folded mostly glaring at the closed elevator door but his eyes slid sideways frequently to check on the spirit woman at his side. Chihiro hoped he did nothing foolish when they met the spirit Rin had been a concubine to. Chihiro reminded herself yet again that Scott was not like Haku, he was far less volatile and emotionally driven. She smiled to herself; if he was he would never have agreed to help a woman who had rejected him. She was not so sure Haku could have swallowed his pride as Scott had to help an old acquaintance in need. Love him she might, but Haku's pride and ego were really something she hoped to trim down over time, it could be more than a little irritating. Still she was far from perfect either...

Chihiro's eyes turned to Linca. The sprite was leaning easily against the wall of the elevator displaying not a hint of ill ease. It took a moment for Chihiro to realise that the sprite running her eyes over their lion spirit guide appreciatively. The lion spirit himself was either totally oblivious to the sprites heated glances or professional enough to gracefully ignore the sprite. Chihiro sighed internally and decided Linca needed a little refocusing too. She stepped in front of the petite spirit, blocking her view of the rippling thigh and buttock muscles that were hinted at through the black robes of the lion spirit. Linca blinked, then glared at her sister.

"What?" she demanded.

"Haven't you had enough 'fun' today?" asked Chihiro icily.

"You can never have enough 'fun'," declared the sprite with a slight leer in her voice, no doubt intended for her new prey to hear. Chihiro raised an eyebrow in a fair imitation of her mate, she decided to keep the banter going in the hope it might ease the tension a little for Rin.

"Those who can't get enough 'fun' are clearly not getting it right. You really need to work on your technique so you can be satisfied with the limited amount of 'fun' you can get," said Chihiro with a completely straight face.

Linca's white eyelashes fluttered in disbelief. She opened her mouth twice but no sound came out. Scott and Rin had indeed been diverted. They were also staring at Chihiro as if they did not quite believe what they had heard. Chihiro blushed a little, maybe she had gone too far.

"Linca is not the only one who can use innuendo," she muttered defensively. "I'm not nice and polite all the time..." She stopped talking when she noticed that Rin was grinning at her, her worry temporarily forgotten.

"Linca is a bad influence on you," Rin said in a half whisper, still smiling.

The lift ground to a halt.

"We are here," said the Lion spirit with no small amount of amusement in his voice. He had no doubt been enjoying the conversation.

The doors slid open.

The room beyond was entirely made of red lacquered wood. The room would have been morbidly dark had it not been for the large windows on two walls that opened out onto a large terrace. A warm breeze moved through the room, carrying the perfume of the garden far below with it. There was not a hint of the stench of the lower city. The room was sparsely furnished. To Chihiro's surprise the first thing she saw was an elaborate shrine. On top of the shrine was a large statue of a dragon cast in bronze with red eyes, she suspected the red stones were rubies. It struck her that these spirits may be dragon worshipers. If they were then she may have an advantage. Her eyes moved from the shrine by the elevator. They were immediately drawn to the far end of the room. There was a large alcove in the wall, covered by closely woven black netting. She could not see what was beyond it. The curtain of netting billowed and undulated in the breeze, but never revealed what it was hiding. Before the alcove were two ranks of guards. Most of them appeared to be boar spirits, but there was the odd rhino spirit. Linca informed her that the bulky men scattered among the other spirits were bear spirits though their humanoid form was much more refined than the others. Chihiro would have not known them from an ordinary human had she met them in her world. All the spirits were armed but they regarded the party with curiosity, not hostility.

Chihiro wanted to leave immediately. There were far too many large spirits with pointy bits of metal for her liking. She nearly screamed when a clawed hand fell on her shoulder.

"Have no fear dragon mate," purred the lion spirit behind her. "To these people, you are royalty. No matter what transpires you will be treated with respect."

"I'm not concerned for myself," hissed Chihiro. The lion spirit glanced briefly at the others to check they were still distracted. He then lent forward and hurriedly whispered into Chihiro's ear.

"Out of respect for your mate and quest I will tell you this, for the others in your group there are no guarantees, the Night Wind was here ten days ago and negotiated only your safe passage; the rest are at my lord's mercy."

He stepped back abruptly as Scott turned to glare at the lion spirit suspiciously. Chihiro nodded to her friend to indicate all was well. She would have thanked the lion spirit too but that would be too obvious. The spirit was giving her time to prepare herself for the worst. But what could she do? She was human and a human in this situation could do nothing against beings that used magic as casually as the lion spirit did. She did not even have time to get her now silent sword from her pack, not that she had the skill to use it even if she could. The lion spirit carefully put his clawed hand on the small of her back and pushed her gently forward.

"Show my lord no fear," he warned her. He motioned to the others and they all stepped forward.

Chihiro walked slowly between the ranks of guards, she kept glancing at Rin to check on the spirit woman's behaviour. Rin now appeared to be incredibly anxious, her arms were folded over her chest as if she feared she would fall apart and was holding herself together. Her dark eyes constantly darted between the ranks of guards. They were guided towards the curtained alcove. The guards that passed bowed. Chihiro was not sure who they were bowing to, was it herself or Rin? It hardly mattered anyway; soon they were stood before the curtain.

Chihiro followed Rin's lead and bowed to the curtain. She saw Linca and Scott do the same. Chihiro rose, only to find that Rin remained bent double. She could see that the spirit woman's hands shook slightly where they rested on her knees.

"We welcome you to our home dragon mate," said a low voice from behind the curtain. The voice sounded normal enough, neither too low nor too high. It was certainly not a voice that should inspire the fear that transformed Rin's countenance. The spirit woman's head snapped up, her eyes widened, she paled then retreated a step.

"_She remembers,"_ thought Chihiro grimly.

Scott stepped to the frightened spirit woman's side and mumbled something in her ear. Rin stiffened and her back straightened.

"I also thank you dragon mate for bringing my wondering concubine back to me," continued the voice. "We had a misunderstanding. One the witch Yubaba would not permit me to rectify."

Rin burst out laughing; the bitter sound rang through the hall.

"A misunderstanding?" she echoed sarcastically. "Is that what you call it?" She glared at the curtain, her eyes now snapping with fury.

"I am not forgiven?" enquired the voice. "Even after all these years?"

"I have not thought of you once in that time so how could I possibly forgive you?" Rin replied heatedly. "I had that witch erase everything about you from my life!"

Chihiro blinked, trying to keep up with the argument.

"If you were happy away from me then why are you here now?" asked the voice slyly. "Part of you must still yearn for what we once had."

"Pah!" spat Rin. "We had nothing. I was young and a fool. One that was dazzled by the pretty baubles you constantly bestowed on me. I got what I deserved. Beauty but no heart. Only a being with no heart could have done what you have!" she half screamed at the curtain. "I am a child no longer Hikaru! I will not fall for florid words and sparkling stones again."

I came here because I could not remember. Now I do, I know why I was prompted to come here. This is just another delay for Chihiro." She glared at the curtain and gave a derisory snort. "You are not worth the time we have wasted on you already." She bowed again, sharply this time and shallowly. "We take out leave." She announced. "Forgive the intrusion."

The curtain was swept aside and the spirit that had been speaking stepped out from behind it. Chihiro was shocked. When Rin had said that she'd been enchanted by pretty things, she hadn't anticipated that one of them would be the spirit to whom she was concubine to. He was average height, maybe even on the short side, but that was the only average thing about him. He had green hair, not the green black of Haku; this was a dark bottle green. It was fine and wispy, cut quite short but longer stands framed his face and jaw bone. It was so fine and shiny that Chihiro had to resist the urge to step forward and touch it. His skin was pale, but it had a healthy glow to it. His eyes were almond shaped and accompanied by thin elegant eyebrows that arched over them. Eyebrows and eyelashes were also green, but the eyes themselves were a stunning cyan blue. The eyes also had a slight iridescence to them, making them actually shine.

The spirit Lord was richly dressed in a beige silk tunic that had a high stiff collar. He wore plenty of gold too. There were several hoops of gold in each ear, some in the lobe but others higher up the rim of his ear in the cartilage. He had a heavy gold torc around his neck and flat gold bands around each wrist. There was also a flash of gold on the back of his hand. A long golden scar; just like the one on the back of Chihiro's hand. He was bonded? To who? Certainly not Rin. Then again Rin was only a concubine; it would follow that he would be bonded to a spirit from a wealthy household. Still, what a terrible thing for his mate to endure. She would be aware of every act of passion that was not shared with her. Of course, it could be that she cared little about her mates harem. Chihiro shuddered at the thought however; she certainly wouldn't have been able to endure it. Could the tension between mates have been one of the reasons Rin left? Were there too many people in this relationship for her to bear any longer?

Rin swallowed nervously when she saw her former lover, but her jaw was still set.

"Rinako," the striking male spirit breathed on seeing her. "You are even more beautiful than I remember." He stepped out of the alcove and approached her slowly, iridescent eyes fixed on her. "Is there not even a small part of you that is pleased to see me?" He asked in a low voice.

"No," growled Rin between clenched teeth.

"Then why did you come?" He asked in a tender tone as he stepped closer again. "The gentle prompting you were given by the Night Wind is hardly any good reason to sneak into my city and demand to see me."

Chihiro's heart sank. So it was Kenshin behind Rin 'accidently' coming upon her old home in the forest. Chihiro grudgingly had to admit that is was a clever ploy, the spirit had obeyed the rules and had not struck at her directly but he had managed to delay them and take them two days of travel off their intended route. She could guess who had given him the information on Rin too; she was the only one of the group that had worked at the bath house for a long period of time. Yubaba had made it easy for the most vulnerable of them to be exploited. Chihiro again whispered a silent apology to her absent mate about the wait and hoped he was not suffering wherever he was being held.

Rin's outraged attitude wavered under Hikaru's glowing gaze. She stepped back from the slowly advancing spirit and ended up bumping into Scott standing behind her. Scott had been watching Hikaru carefully, Chihiro had no idea what he thought of the performance that had played out before him, his face was completely closed. Linca was staring at Hikaru in open awe; it was easy to tell what the sprite was thinking. Rin finally found her voice.

"I...I was confused," she stammered "I had forgotten you... I came to remember..."

"And now you do remember," the green haired spirited whispered, stepping even closer. "Rinako," he breathed his voice caressing the name. "You must allow me to prove myself worthy of you again. You shamed me, and I have forgiven you." He stopped half a step from her. "I was angry at you, but over the last three centuries I have realised that I asked too much of you." He raised a hand and made to touch her face. The noise that came out of Rin was almost feral. She growled and knocked his hand away with an audible slap. Hikaru stared at her, his iridescent eyes wide with shock.

"Three hundred years in a bath house has changed me, _my love," _she growled scornfully. "How dare you try to touch me with a hand that is so stained in innocent blood?" She hissed and backed a little further into Scott.

"It was all for you!" replied Hikaru defensively. "All of it!"

"I never asked you to kill anyone!" Rin retorted. She moved around the side of Scott, almost as if she was using the tall human as a shield. "I am leaving now!" she announced defiantly.

"Rinako, I can't let you leave like this!" Hikaru protested. "Please let me explain!" Rin shook her head and backed away. Hikaru frowned, his smooth skin wrinkling up in frustration. He made a grab for Rin's arm only to find a large human had stepped before him. The iridescent eyes focused on the human for the first time and instantly dismissed him.

"Move fool!" Hikaru hissed. "This is no affair of yours." Scott didn't move, but looked down on the spirit, his face and eyes calm but Chihiro could see his jaw muscles were twitching.

"I believe the lady said she was leaving. I suggest you let her go and attempt this reunion again at a later date and on neutral territory." Scott's words were civil, even helpful but his tone was ice cold. Hikaru blinked at him and then gave a sharp laugh.

"Don't meddle human," he chuckled and again tried to step past him to get to where Rin was. Rin was not even looking at her former lover, she was staring at Scott clearly surprised he had spoken for her when he hardly knew her. Chihiro heard one strangled word come from her.

"Don't," she said faintly, though who she was pleading too Chihiro was unsure.

Hikaru hissed at the human in irritation, all pretence at humour gone. It happened so quickly that the spirit blurred in Chihiro's vision. One moment Hikaru was glaring at Scott, the next his jaws were clamped on the humans forearm. Scott gave a cry of pain then collapsed. Rin screamed. Hikaru wiped his mouth with his cuff then ran his tongue over one of the long thin fangs that were protruding from his mouth before they retracted as quickly as they had appeared.

Lord Hikaru was a snake spirit.

Scott had just been poisoned.

Chihiro's mind finally caught up and she dropped to the big human's side. He was fitting; his whole body shook and twisted. Linca took over. She grabbed the bitten arm and stripped back the sleeve.

"Hold him still," she barked at Chihiro. Chihiro ignored the uneasy guards and the sad face of the lion spirit. She threw herself on her convulsing friend, using her weight to pin him to the floor. She even half ignored Rin's anguished shouts.

"What do you think you are doing? He is our friend," she screeched.

"I did not inject enough to kill," said Hikaru with no hint of remorse. "A human should know its place. I thought I would teach him a lesson before some other spirit did. You should be thanking me; another may have made it a lethal lesson."

Linca brought the puncture wound to her mouth and sucked. She spat out a mouth full of blood onto the floor and sucked again, her blue lips now red with Scott's blood.

"This is the reason I left!" shouted Rin. "I realised what a heartless bastard you were!"

"You will not be leaving me again anytime soon," declared Hikaru. "You will stay and give me a fair hearing."

"After this?" yelled Rin. "No!" she bellowed in his face. She turned and moved towards Scott and her sisters.

"Don't you want to know where your daughter is?" asked Hikaru in a mocking tone.

Rin froze.

"She's dead," she said coldly.

"She lives," replied Hikaru just as coldly.

Rin turned again to face the green haired spirit.

"More lies," she whispered, but her voice wavered.

"No Rinako," he replied softly. "I removed her and kept it from you; I would never harm our daughter Rinako. You should know me better than that." He said, sounding hurt. "If you'd stayed and asked me where she was, I would have told you." He gestured to the now quiet Scott. "Your companion is injured and cannot travel, will you honestly abandon him?" Rin bit her lip and regarded Scott with pain in her eyes and then shook her head. Hikaru sighed with relief.

"Then you will stay here until he is well again. In the mean time you will have a full apology from me and we can then go and visit our daughter together."

Rin nodded, defeated. Guards moved forward to escort Linca and Rin away. One bear spirit lifted Scott up from the floor and carried him away in the same direction. The Lion spirit took Chihiro's arm.

"Come," he murmured. "Best you leave now." Hikaru was watching her, before she could leave he called out to her.

"Forgive my rude hospitality mistress," he said politely. "Rinako and I have many issues to smooth over. Please bear with us. You will be on your way by tomorrow if all goes well." He bowed to her. "Please indulge me until then. I've been waiting to speak with Rinako for many years and I cannot pass up this opportunity, even if it does divert you from your holy quest. I would rather earn the old ones anger then leave things unresolved. Please except my humblest apologies, under normal circumstances I would never treat the mate of a great dragon god so. Our local mountain god will be angry when he learns I have detained you, but needs must."

Chihiro looked at the bowed spirit, and wondered if he had been a worm spirit in his former life. His apology was probably sincere but a simple 'I am sorry' would have given her more respect for him. She could see what Rin meant by 'florid words' the spirit thought he could simply talk his way out of her displeasure. Well it would be her pleasure to disappoint him. So he worshiped the local dragon, fine, then she would use her power as a dragon's mate. Without putting much more thought into her plan she stepped forward. She sneered at the bowed spirit and spat at his feet; as much as it made her skin crawl she had seen other spirits do this and was sure it would work for her. There was a collective intake of breath from the guards. They all knew what she was about to do.

"I curse you," said Chihiro in a soft voice. "You harmed my friend and have caused my sister great pain. Worst of all you have conspired with my enemy against me and are now delaying a quest in the old ones name. In their name and in my mates I curse you." Hikaru flinched at her words but looked up at her and met her glare.

"I just want her back mistress," he almost whined. "All the joy in my life left when she did. I have no interest in anything; even running my domain makes me feel empty. My city suffers from my lack of attention to it. I need her back so I can function again."

"That is not my concern," said Chihiro coldly. "If you raise a hand to any of us again then be aware that you will be shown no mercy by the old ones." Hikaru bowed again.

"I understand mistress," he whispered. The lion spirit pulled gently at Chihiro's arm and she followed him from the room.

* * *

**Thank you to Lara from the forum for this, she did a very accurate and speedy job. _(Velf bows.)_**

**I wrote this chapter while waiting for a train at Aso station to take me to Hiroshima. The gardens I wrote about were inspired by a few places I had visited. I should go on a writing trip every year! It's done so much for my motivation.**

**Also the fanfiction awards voting at dot moon is now open, the link is on my profile. Both this and Indebted are in the "in progress" category.**

**Quiz- so what did poor Scott quote from?**


	35. Scattered Reflections

**Scattered Reflections**

Chihiro inspected the rooms they had been placed in for what seemed like the hundredth time. Nothing had changed from the last time she had checked them over. Through the large windows she could see the slight golden sheen of the barriers that had been put around the rooms. So confident were their captors in that barrier, that they had not even bothered to disarm their prisoners. Chihiro had earlier tipped out her pack and tried every pointed object she owned against those windows. Even her new, still silent sword bounced harmlessly off the glass. She had listlessly put her belongings back in her pack, pausing over the glass vial of lake water. It had changed colour again and was now a deep green. She put it in her pocket before it upset her too much, she could not bear to think of Haku's river. She did the same with the lock of Haku's hair and stuffed it in her pocket without really looking at it. She had abandoned her packing to pace the rooms again but had now stopped to refold her spare clothes and pack them away as well. Something red fell from the folds of one of her tunics, catching her eye. She picked it up. The small plastic bag immediately gave its origin away as something from her world. In the bag was a fine red powder. She puzzled over it for a few moments; she did not remember packing it. Suddenly she recognised the substance; her mother had given it to her.

Chihiro remembered well how scared she had been when she heard that mother had fallen ill. She had rushed to be with her, at great cost to Haku. But she had recovered as time went on, and told her daughter of an odd thing that had happened. Yuuko was a gardening obsessive and on a visit to the bath house she had taken samples of many of the plants in the gardens, much to Haku's amusement who had said none would grow in the human world. He had been wrong; one cutting had. Chihiro remembered the event clearly.

"_You see that plant on the windowsill?" asked her mother suddenly. Chihiro turned to look. There on the sill was what she had assumed was another of her mother's weird hybrids. It was an orchid of sorts with fleshy red leaves that seemed to have a sticky fluid on them. Out of the leaves grew a thick red flower spike, on which were the most exquisite, if a little garish blood red flowers. Yuuko rummaged in her night stand and produced a rubber glove and a small plastic bag._

"_Put this glove on and pick off two or three of those flowers and put them in this bag. Don't touch them whatever you do."_

_Chihiro was confused but she did as her mother asked. Once she had bagged and sealed the flowers she returned to the bed. "Put them in your pocket and take them with you," said Yuuko._

"_Why?" asked Chihiro, frowning._

"_Because when the local stray cat tried to chew on one of those flowers it was dead within a minute. I had to bring the plant in; it's too dangerous to keep outside. I'm not sure what happened to it when I brought those cuttings over from the bathhouse gardens but it was the only one that grew and it's deadly poisonous. The rest, like your dragon said, all died, but this one for some reason likes it here." She grinned at Chihiro, her cracked lips splitting a little as she did so. "I'm in line for a national horticultural award I'll have you know! I could command any price for that plant but I was thinking of donating it to the Tokyo botanical gardens where it can be looked after properly, with a few cuttings for myself of course."_

_Chihiro frowned at her mother. "So why give poison to me?"_

"_I'm not sure," shrugged her mother. "I just have this nagging feeling that you will need it." Chihiro nodded and slipped the deadly package into her pocket. Who was she to question her mothers gut feelings?_

"_I've given it a name, it's been recorded too," said her mother quietly._

"_Oh?" asked Chihiro._

"_I've called it the Dragon's Blood Orchid."_

_Chihiro gulped._

"_Go home soon daughter; I may not know much about your world but I know it needs you more than we do."_

Chihiro shook off the memory and looked at the bag again. The deadly flowers had dried and been crushed to a powder in her luggage. She had meant to give the bag to Kamaji before she left, certain the spirit would know the flower. However, with everything that had gone on since her return to the spirit world, she had completely forgotten about the flowers. Even dried and crushed, what was left of the flowers was still ruby red, yes, dragons blood orchid was a very good name for the plant.

She slipped the packet into her pocket. As evil as she knew the flowers were, they could also prove useful. Something had prompted her mother in her fevered state to give Chihiro the flowers. Chihiro had long ago learned not to question such things. The flowers were given to her for a reason; she just didn't know what that reason was yet. She moved back into the main room of the suite they were kept in. All the rooms were decorated in dark red and black, the colours reminded Chihiro of Yubaba's taste in décor. Her eyes fell on a futon in the corner. Scott lay on it covered in a blanket. He was quiet now after his fit, but he was sweating heavily and his complexion was almost grey. He had been unconscious for hours.

Chihiro's stomach twisted with worry. She had been so angry at Hikaru for harming her friend that she had found herself cursing him, for all the world like a powerful spirit woman. But her tac'tal had warmed as she spoke and she was sure the curse was binding. There were some definite perks to being mated to a God.

But Hikaru was already suffering under a curse, perhaps of his own making. Chihiro was sure the handsome snake spirit was quite mad. Perhaps Rin leaving had driven him insane. He had said that all the joy had gone from his life when she left; and she had been gone a long time.

Rin was kneeling next to Scott. She had been sponging down his face with a wet cloth whilst trying to get him to drink. She had hardly said a word since they had been locked up. Chihiro had numerous questions that she burned to ask her sister about her former life in the palace, but the look of bitter hopelessness on Rin's face silenced her. She was sure the spirit woman was blaming herself for Scott getting injured. Linca was sitting against the locked door, pouting. She had tried her long distance seduction techniques on the lion spirit that was patrolling on the other side of the door and received a swift rejection. Apparently the lion spirit had claimed he could smell all 252 males and 6 females Linca had bedded in her life on her skin and he had no wish to become male number 253. Chihiro thought Linca was probably upset about getting turned down, rather than the lion spirit knowing the extent of her promiscuity.

Chihiro understood and accepted that Linca was a person who valued physical pleasure very highly. When she was with a partner she loved them fiercely and possessively, but when that initial rush of passion faded she would move on and seek the next partner who could give her the same thrill.

Haku had a theory about Linca's behaviour, Chihiro remembered the explanation he had given whilst preparing for bed after a long day. On top of Haku's normal schedule, he'd had to intervene when a fight broke out among the kitchen staff. Linca had been introducing Chihiro to her latest lover when last months lover stormed into the kitchens and demanded she take him back. Linca had looked hopelessly at the two males, pain fluttering over her exquisite little face.

Last months lover had reached for a fish knife. Haku had been finishing off his paperwork on the top floor but he easily picked up on Chihiro's distress through their bond. He materialised in the kitchen just as the two lovers had clashed. He did not even need to move, he simply pinned both lovers to the floor with a swiftly applied holding spell. Both spirits were severely dealt with. Haku was going to fire them, but Linca spoke for them saying it was her responsibility and she should take the blame. Haku had merely raised an eyebrow at her and released the two sprits, putting them both to work in the pig pens, though the knife wielder would be there for a year and the current lover only a week. He had said nothing at all to Linca about the incident which puzzled Chihiro.

She questioned him about it as she got changed.

"I do not blame the sprite for her actions because I pity her." He muttered sleepily then reached for her and pulled her into bed, settling her against his chest.

"Pity?" Chihiro echoed. So he too had sensed the sadness she had seen in Linca from time to time. Haku held her closer and she could hear his heart beat beneath her ear; it began to slow as he relaxed. Worryingly, when he was asleep it could stop altogether; but then again, being a bonded spirit he did not really need a heart to live. Chihiro suspected it was for her comfort that his heart beat to a normal human rhythm.

"I can't help but wonder who the person was she lost that she now seeks," Haku yawned.

"You think she is trying to replace an old love?" murmured Chihiro.

"It is a possibility," he sighed, stroking her hair. "The love she lost must have been a great trauma to her if she still seeks their replacement now."

Chihiro shook her head, spirits were odd. How could Linca replace what was gone? She was certainly not going to find an identical love through a process of trial and error! Her sleepy brain then presented the idea that Linca was seeking a reincarnation of the one lost. Chihiro shook her head at herself. She did not really believe in reincarnation and had seen nothing in the spirit world to make her think such a thing existed. Apart from celebrating the national festivals and attending the odd wedding and funeral, Chihiro had been raised with virtually no religious dogma in her life. Both her father and mother had believed she should make her own choice of faith, which meant no faith at all as she matured. Then of course she was the mate of a dragon, surely not even the most devout followers of Shinto could claim her connection to the spirit world. She should dress like a miko and be done with it.

Haku was almost asleep when she tilted her head up to look at his pale face and greenish hair that was fanned out over his pillow. He was so beautiful, how would she feel if the unthinkable happened and he died first? Would she seek comfort elsewhere? Or spend the rest of her life looking for his equal, as Linca did? A green eye slid open and regarded her steadily.

"Stop brooding and go to sleep," he ordered in an irritable tone. "Your mood is going to end up making me depressed as well and then I won't sleep." Chihiro grinned, her mood lifting.

"I love you," she whispered snuggling into his chest again.

"And I love you little one," he sighed. "You don't have to worry about being left alone, that will be my burden." He held her tightly for a moment and she could feel a whisper of sadness from him through the bond. "But not yet," he whispered and the sadness faded.

But he had been wrong. She was alone.

"_Well almost,"_ she thought, her hand falling on her stomach. Chihiro sighed to herself. It was all such a mess. It was never supposed to happen, any of it. All she ever did was fall in love, why was this happening to her? What had cursed her? But she knew very well why. All relationships between humans and immortals were cursed. Nearly every cultures myths and legends said so. She had been arrogant enough to believe herself exempt from such outdated superstitions. But it seemed she was not.

She gritted her teeth and scolded herself. Self pity would get her no where. Her priorities had narrowed since discovering she was pregnant. She found things had been wonderfully simplified. The little dragon came first. Her child needed a future and it needed it's father. That justified the quest she was on. She would get her mate back. Her child would not be brought into a world where the human and spirit populations had been culled to conform to the utopian ideals of one insane spirit.

Chihiro realised she was stroking her stomach again. She wished she would stop; it just drew attention to the increasing roundness of her stomach. She had never had a completely flat stomach anyway. There had always been a curve on her belly due to her vices of chocolate and sweet coffee. When studying at university for tests or researching an essay she would go through 3 boxes of pocky in an evening! She had liked lying in bed a lot too, rather than indulging in sports like most of her peers. Even Linca had played volleyball once a week, when she was pretending to be human. Though Chihiro suspected the activity was more about picking up men and less about health. The most exercise Chihiro had got was cleaning her room and walking to classes. Lately however she had been much more energetic. There were Rin's self defence lessons twice a week which could never be missed no matter what the excuse. Rin had even dragged her out of bed on one occasion when she was suffering from a cold and made her practice in her pyjamas. Apart from that, she was also keeping a very needy dragon happy and she was helping out in the bathhouse; which meant a lot of running up and down stairs and dashing to catch elevators. Not being a spirit she could not flit between floors if she was in a hurry, though in truth only the likes of Haku and Yubaba had the power to walk through walls and sink though floors whenever they wished... which was not _that _often.

Haku had at first been bemused by Chihiro's dislike for certain parts of her anatomy, stomach included. When she had complained one morning while getting dressed that her thighs wobbled too much despite Rin making her perform all those deep squats, he had snorted in amusement and then held his head on one side while looking at her intently. She knew by now that the expression meant that he did not understand but he was trying to be patient with her human quirkiness and was waiting for an explanation.

"What's wrong with them?" he prompted when she just glowered at him. "They work? What more would you ask of them?" Chihiro had given in and tried to explain that she wanted them to look more appealing while doing their job of letting her walk. This confused her mate even more.

"Why?" he asked, frowning. Again she explained through gritted teeth that she wanted to be attractive, he really was dense sometimes!

"Why do you want to be more attractive than you already are? You have a mate and are therefore considered beautiful as you are by the only person who's opinion should matter to you." He chuckled at her. "Really the only thing to be gained by wanting to improve your appearance is..." He trailed off and comprehension dawned on his face. As usual he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. She felt anger and hurt flooding through the bond in such quantities it made her dizzy. His green eyes narrowed in saurian anger and glittered dangerously.

"Have you tired of me already little one?" He asked quietly. "I knew humans were fickle but I thought you above seeking attention from other males."

Chihiro spluttered indignantly and then employed her best defence against her thick headed mate. She laughed. She remembered throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him to within an inch of oxygen deprivation, all the time giggling between kisses. The confusion was quickly resolved and she had an abject apology from her mate. Of course she was not fickle, he knew that. He had the grace to blush slightly which was something he hardly ever did. It just made him all the more endearing to Chihiro. She knew he was deeply embarrassed and ashamed of himself, she could feel it.

The incident had taught her a valuable lesson about her mate however, Haku may desire her body even if she did not like it herself, but it was not the only thing that attracted him to her. He really did love her mind, body and soul, and probably not in that order. Body was probably third. It was just another of the peculiarities that came with being the mate of a God. He could see her soul as clearly as she could see his river and he could sense things in her she would never be able to in him. She would only ever see his outward appearance, the rest of him she could only know in a limited way when she had contact with his river and what she felt through their bond. She still wondered at him being able to love such a simple and confined creature as herself, but love her he did, that she knew for certain. Imperfect body included. He made sure she knew that the next time they were alone after the misunderstanding. He had paid special attention to her legs, placing light kisses all over them from toe to hip. She remembered squealing as his lips tickled her skin behind her knees. How could something that made her squirm feel so good? She remembered his throaty chuckle, its tone telling her that she would be moaning not laughing in a few moments.

"Never again say this is unwanted flesh little one," he growled and nipped lightly at her belly button. "Because I want it!"

Thinking back that could have been the night her daughter was conceived, the timing was right. Chihiro ran a hand over her hair and tried to pull her thoughts from her mate. The separation symptoms were really stating to impact on her concentration. As if the deafening silence in her head and the crippling pain in her heart were not enough. Now she had to contend with memories of happier times popping up unbidden when she should be focusing her attention on the situation at hand. She needed a distraction. She realised she had been standing staring out of one of the windows for some time. She turned and walked to where Scott lay. She knelt quietly beside Rin, that way if her mind wondered again, it would look as if she was making herself useful rather than staring into the distance. Scott was still unconscious, his pale skin still perspiring as if he had a fever, though his skin was cold when Chihiro touched it. His breath was ragged and he had to occasionally pause to swallow and work moisture back into his dry mouth only to start panting again. Rin was wiping his face, chest and arms with a damp towel that the lion spirit guard had provided. Dipping it in a lacquerware bowl of water to keep it cool between uses.

Rin's face was grim, her lips set in a firm line, eyes focused only on the pale face of her companion. Chihiro decided to remain silent, still not knowing what to say to her sister. She inspected the bite on Scott's arm. The two puncture wounds were red, inflamed and weeping clear fluid that Chihiro remembered was called Plasma from her biology classes in school. Takio sensei would have been proud of her. She felt for his pulse in his wrist. It was fast, though she was not sure what that meant. Well she had only just passed human biology.

"He will live," said Rin in a monotone. "I've seen this before. If Hikaru intended to kill him, he would be dead by now. His poison can kill in minutes if he injects enough." Chihiro thought Rin sounded almost angry, she surmised the spirit woman was frustrated at Scott getting hurt.

"Fool," growled Rin, confirming Chihiro's guess. "Why did he have to step in? I was in no danger! He is a human, did he not think that he could get hurt?" She dipped her towel in the bowl and vigorously wrung it out. She then gently applied it to the redheaded humans face. "How do you cope Chihiro?" asked Rin her voice sounding sad now. "How do you not live every day in fear?" Chihiro did not really understand what Rin was asking so remained silent. Rin was not looking at Chihiro anyway; her eyes were firmly on Scott. Chihiro did not much feel like talking anyway. She had a headache and felt tired. Chihiro suspected it had little to do with her pregnancy and everything to do with the curse she had just cast. What its effect would be she did not know. What she did know is that if a curse was cast without justification, i.e. out of pure pettiness or malice then the curse would return on the user, with added interest. Thus such things were not used lightly. However, in the hotbed of intrigue and petty jealousies that the bath houses' domestic staff cultivated, curses were cast with less care.

A Yunna had once cursed Linca in a staff meeting. It had turned out the spirit was angry at Linca for sleeping with a customer the Yunna herself had hoped to seduce. The curse had rebounded immediately The Yunna had then had to endue a hideous skin condition on her face for the next month that refused to respond to Kamaji's remedies. The ancient spider spirit had explained to Chihiro that the Yunna was paying for her vanity. Haku had taken pity on the Yunna and sent her to work in the gardens where she would not be ridiculed or upset any of the customers. Bonded spirits were very sensitive to curses and would not want the Yunna near them. Rin's voice disrupted her thoughts; she was doing it again! Chihiro was beginning to get a little worried about herself.

"You are so fragile," the spirit woman mumbled whilst watching Scott struggle for breath. "If I was as easily injured as you are, I would never venture outside. How could he even think he could stand up to a spirit lord?" Finally she turned and looked at Chihiro. "Are you all incredibly brave?" she asked sharply. "Or does this lack of a self preservation instinct simply come from ignorance?"

"He was just trying to help Rin," murmured Chihiro. "He probably did not think about the fact that he was a human at all. He did what he thought was right." Rin snatched the cloth from Scott's forehead and plunged it into her bowl, splashing water all over her knees.

"I did not ask for help," she hissed. "I am not so weak that..." Scott groaned and his head rolled a little to the left before he settled again. Rin winced and her anger faded.

"This is all my fault," she sighed, then wrung out her sodden towel. "He will never forgive me for this," she said in a small voice.

"Don't be absurd," snapped Chihiro, irritated at Rin's attitude. "You were manipulated into this. None of this is your fault."

"I should have stayed at the bathhouse, I knew my weakness and now I've..." Rin's words were halted by Chihiro hugging her violently. At some point during the fierce hug Rin began to cry.

"I'm sorry," she wept, "Forgive me!"

"There is nothing to forgive," said a cracked and brittle voice. The sisters turned to see Scott was awake. The blue eyes were still glazed with fever, but the fact that he was awake lightened Chihiro's heart. "Chihiro is right, you are being ridiculous," he said looking at Rin. "I need no apology." Rin's lip wobbled and she bowed her head respectfully to Scott. A small smile pulled at the big humans lips. "But I would like an explanation," he said softly. Rin stiffened in Chihiro's arms. Scott's face turned serious on seeing Rin's response. "Who is he to you Rinako?" He asked gently. "Why do you fear him so?" Chihiro eyed Scott appraisingly. She had been prepared to wait until Rin felt ready to give her story. It seem Scott however was more impatient and was using his position as injured comrade to extract the information he wanted. Chihiro had to admit she wanted to know too, but she questioned the wisdom of pressurising Rin. Then again they needed to know as much as they could about Hikaru if they were to escape. She said nothing and waited. Linca had been drawn out of her sulk by Scott's words. She moved over to the futon and sat cross legged on the straw mats not far from Scott. Rin looked at Scott for a long moment. He calmly returned her gaze, his blue eyes quietly demanding. Rin slumped and Chihiro slowly let go of her. Rin sat beside Linca and Chihiro settled herself also, she was sure Rin's story would not be a short one.

"What I told you at my old home was true. I was obsessed with finding a mate. Hikaru was the first to ask and I accepted." Rin gave a bitter chuckle. "It's the curse of a female weasel spirit; we are slaves to our breeding instincts. I was happy even to be a concubine; at least I would be able to have babies." Rin paused as if embarrassed by the subject but then continued. "I was happy here and had a good life. I had a lover who doted on me and I was madly in love with him. I was nearly ecstatic when I became pregnant. Hikaru was very considerate and made sure that I did not over exert myself. He insisted on being the one to perform the birthing spell when the time came _(1)_." Chihiro felt a stab of pain at Rin's words but did not let her discomfort show. Rin was smiling wistfully to herself. "I remember him standing with our brand new daughter in his arms. I had to show him how to hold her, he was so scared of hurting her or dropping her. He called her Tori because she was his little bird _(2)_." She smiled again; unshed tears putting a watery sheen over her beautify dark eyes. "I never thought things would turn out this way. I never thought I would ever fear him." Linca rested a comforting hand on Rin's knee and the spirit woman carried on.

"After I had Tori my breeding instinct settled. I began to take interest in other issues. The lower citadel was not as bad then as it is now but it was still squalor to me. It had been in that condition since Hikaru's fathers day. He had seen no reason to alter it as spirits were free to come and go as they wished. They either stayed and had protection and three meals a day or they moved on. As long as one member from each family helped grow the cities food then they could do as they pleased. I pointed out that if we improved the conditions in the lower city then more spirits would stay in it. There would be more workers which would mean a bigger harvest. Even with the increased population there would surly be an increase in surplus therefore more to trade and more to store for lean times." Rin smirked to herself, her sadness momentarily forgotten. "Hikaru was sceptical at first. He thought that because I was low born, I would naturally sympathise with the less fortunate. But he loved me enough to indulge me. He allocated me funds, though I could not spend them on improvements without the city councils consent. So he gave me a seat on his council too." Chihiro and Scott glanced at each other; this certainly did not seem like the insane spirit they had met that morning. "It was difficult to be accepted at first," said Rin. "The council thought I should stick to being a court ornament and not dip into politics. But I persevered with the hostilities and after a decade of negotiating and bargaining, the low citadel sector was rebuilt." Rin grinned and a little chuckle bubbled up from her. "It was nice to be proved right. Spirits came from all over the region, including one of my sisters and her family. They worked hard and that year the rice harvest was quadrupled even though we had only increased our population by a third. We prospered and bartered our surplus for luxuries that we did not produce ourselves. We had to build a highway across the domain to accommodate all the traders that came to the citadel. Within 5 years we were the most prosperous domain this side of the bathhouse plain." A frown crossed Rin's face. "But we attracted too much attention; others grew jealous of our success. We grew fat off the gifts of the land and our diligent workers whilst others starved becoming thin as reeds. I tried to impress on Hikaru that some charity to the struggling domains would cement strained alliances and avoid conflict. This time he did not indulge me, he believed that the rice we grew should feed our people alone. He had no sympathy with those who chose to stay in the lands of tyrants. Let them come to us to be fed and live within our city. He knew he had the strongest militia in the region and so did not fear attack. When the attacks finally came he dealt with them swiftly and ruthlessly. My daughter even slept through one siege it was so brief. Soon we had many enemies but we attracted some strong friends too. Hikaru nurtured these alliances, he was particularly keen on building close links with a large coastal city. With access to a port could increase our wealth and we could build trade links all over the spirit world. Because of this he courted and later bonded the daughter of that cities overload. He also plighted my daughter, not even mature yet, to the overlord's eldest son."

Rin paused and Chihiro handed her a glass of water from a near by table. Rin accepted it gratefully and drank it all. "It all changed after that. I had to tell my child she would be the mate of someone she had not met. Hikaru was not cruel however, a formal bonding was not part of the contract and they would have the years before they matured to get to know each other. She could be concubine to him or a non bonded mate until they thought themselves ready to go through with the ceremony, if they ever wanted too. I was not happy about the arrangement but I was also unsure how much my weasel blood would affect my daughter. If it was not tempered by her father's more stable traits, then she would need a mate quickly when she came of age. I would have preferred she chose herself but she was daughter of an overlord, she had to marry well."

"What about the new mate?" asked Scott curiously.

"I was not jealous if that is what you mean," said Rin sharply. "I knew when I became concubine that I would probably have to make way for another woman. I did not mind Nara's presence at all. There was a gap between us though, she was a calm and genteel noblewoman and I was a pretty ragamuffin from the woods. We were friendly towards each other but we were not friends. I am sure she thought her breeding and cultured beauty would have me out of the palace and into retirement in months. But it did not work that way. I was still on the advisory council so I saw Hikaru regularly.

It was a little awkward at first. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with Nara so she did not feel ignored in a strange place. Hikaru clearly liked her but I do not think he ever loved her. It was Nara who pushed for them to get bonded. She wanted to bind him to her. I can understand why. I was smitten with him and we had a child. She wanted a higher claim on him. Also, within three weeks of her arrival Hikaru was spending most of his nights in my room. We never mentioned Nara when we were together, neither of us wanted to be unkind to her. Hikaru finally agreed to the bonding but he did not agree to pension me off. He made it plain that I was a trusted adviser and that he loved me very much, he would not be disloyal to me, even when he was mated. I was at the bonding ceremony; I guess I was hoping they would not go through with it up until that point. But when he cut her hand and pressed her wound to his I had a massive sense of foreboding. I knew things would end badly."

Chihiro wondered what it would be like knowing your mate loved another. She had grown used to Haku's presence in her head. She could sense his moods and sometimes what he was thinking if she concentrated. Her narrow human perception could only detect the general direction of his thoughts, not specifics. She knew when he was thinking about food for example or about money, but nothing deeper, no detail. She knew his mind was much more complex than her own too. He had a whole elemental awareness that she would never be able to understand and that saddened her. If she was a spirit she would know him so much more intimately. Nara must have suffered greatly being bonded to a mate who did not love her. She would need to be near Hikaru and he near her, but the bond could not force love to bloom where there was none. Rin eyed Chihiro and nodded to her, knowing she would be the only one who could really understand. Nara would have been aware of every time Hikaru was with Rin. She would feel the thrill of his pleasure and excitement through the bond when Rin even so much as kissed him. Chihiro thought the woman quite mad; to bond a mate thinking it would make him faithful was lunacy. Then again it could have been a status issue too, one of noble blood should not remain concubine, she should be mate and mistress. However, plenty of spirits called each other mate with no formal bonding. Chihiro could not make out the woman's motives at all. But if she truly loved Hikaru then maybe she saw it as the only way to have a part of him to herself. Chihiro knew Rin's story would not have a good ending for Nara.

"Nara understood at first," said Rin softly. "She did not mention the nights Hikaru spent with me, or the days he spent taking my daughter into the woods for picnics. I tried to be kind to her but she made it very clear she did not want friendship with me. Every invitation I extended to her to participate in my daily routine was politely rejected. Maybe she thought I pitied her... I don't know. All I do know is that her lovely dark eyes began to look hollow and when she spoke, there was no emotion in her tone. She lost weight and kept to her rooms most days. This went on for some years, I hoped that she would conceive and then she would have something other then Hikaru to focus on. But five years on and there was still no offspring."

"She was infertile?" Chihiro asked, feeling even more sorry for the spirit woman. Rin shook her head.

"It is almost unheard of for a spirit to be naturally infertile. Both bonded and non bonded spirits control their breeding capability. Bonded spirits don't even need to mate to produce offspring, I'm sure Haku told you that."

Chihiro nodded. Haku had mentioned once or twice that he did not really remember his mother; he had been left to grow up alone not long after his birth and he was not sure if there was even a father involved. He suspected not. His memories of his mother were of her elemental form. He did not think she had ever taken human or animal shape to explore the human or spirit world. She was her rivers consciousness and nothing more. He spoke of such things with no trace of bitterness or sadness; it was simply the way things were for a bonded spirit. Her idea of family fascinated him; perhaps that was why he had wanted her to make peace with her mother and father. He wanted her to keep her family ties because he had never experienced her notion of family. To him, it was a precious and rare thing. To her, it was annoying and had caused her pain, but she still loved them. She turned her attention back to Rin's story.

"Only one conclusion could be reached. One of them was deliberately preventing conception. I started listening to servant's gossip. The servants had heard their lord and his mate arguing, blaming each other for the absence of a child. As the months went by I started to pay a few servants I trusted to listen to the arguments." Rin ran a hand over her face and sighed. "I know I should not have done that but I was desperate to know what was going on and more than a little self satisfied that their mating was in trouble in under a decade. I enjoyed being told all the insults they threw at each other. They had moved from increasingly heated arguments to personal insults. He was selfish and it was shameful to let his whore govern, the other domains laughed at him. She was cold, why did she think he preferred his hot blooded concubine to her...

I savoured every report I got and made sure I would 'accidently' run into Hikaru after I received word of an argument. I played the concerned and sympathetic woman and in doing so won even more of his attention." Rin's shoulders slumped. "It was beneath me, but I loved him and if Nara was not satisfied with him anymore and did not want to share him amicably then I thought I should take him from her."

Rin glanced at Scott out of the corner of her eye. He was looking at her with interest but there was no judgment in his blue eyes. She carried on, now nearing the end of her tale. "Hikaru began to avoid Nara altogether. The arguments were upsetting him. She would go looking for him however, the mating bond driving her to be near him even though she was beginning to despise him. As much as he loathed her by this point, he was bound to her too and needed to at least see her once a week or he would start to feel the separation.

"I don't understand," murmured Scott. "Why did they stay together if they hated each other? Why did she not go home?"

"There is no breaking the mating bond," murmured Linca. "Once mated not even the death of a partner will release the one left behind."

"Not entirely true," whispered Rin. This was news to both Chihiro and Linca. They stared at the spirit woman. "The bond can be transferred to a new mate once the previous mate is dead."

Chihiro's heart leapt, there was hope! Haku would not be left to suffer the devastation of her death alone. He could find a new mate, a spirit who would accept his half breed child and look after her and guide her. They would all have a good life after her death.

"But," said Rin her dark tone cutting through Chihiro's euphoria, "With the death of the original mate the remaining spirit is never the same and the transferred bond is never as strong though it does ease the separation symptoms." Scott eyed Chihiro as if wondering if she was crazy to actually be part of such a thing. He did not know how wonderful it was to be so close to the one who loved you. Chihiro had never regretted her bonding to Haku, though she feared for their future.

"Things came to a conclusion when Nara started treating me badly. She first muttered insults as she passed me in the main corridors, this quickly turned to shouted insults. I pitied her so said nothing to Hikaru, I probably should have because..." Rin swallowed, anger flashing across her dark eyes. "One day my daughter was playing in the west wing. She was probably making a racquet. She was going through a phase of pretending to be a lion spirit and roaring where she could hear her voice echo." Rin chuckled despite herself. "She was a real terror, then again mixed blood spirit children take a long time to grow up and for their blood to settle. I was hoping she would head towards the snake side of her nature and calm down. Anyway she came running back to our rooms, her face bloody. It did not matter to me suddenly that she probably deserved a reprimand for her behaviour; no one was permitted to strike my daughter! She had been struck and with force enough to black her eye and split her lip. She was only fifty years old! A child should never be hit so!" Rin's voice grew stronger in her anger. "She told me Nara had scolded her for being noisy, and then had been kind, offering her some sweetmeats. Tori was just taking one when Nara tried to hug her. Well naturally Tori was startled and pulled away. Nara started shouting at her, screaming that Tori should have been her child and not some child of a gutter whore with ideas above her station." Rin clenched her fists and her face paled. "After saying that she hit Tori several times, she only stopped when on of Hikaru's lion spirit mercenaries pulled her away.

On hearing all this I attended to my daughters wounds and then left her in the care of a trusted servant. I had business with Nara. I remember marching down the hall with the intention driving the great lady Nara from the palace. By the time I got to her rooms however, Hikaru was already there. Nara was covered in blood and clinging to Hikaru's leg, weeping. There was dark hair littering the floor as if handfuls of it had been ripped out." Rin shuddered, her anger had melted at the memory. "I was in shock; I knew Hikaru had a temper, but this... Even I, a vengeful mother thought he had gone too far. I remember him sneering at her and telling her that she was a failure as a mate. She was to be confined to her rooms and would be sent home, bond or no bond. He would rather suffer the separation then have her in his domain any longer." Rin heaved a sigh.

"She begged and threatened suicide and when it was clear he would not relent, she threatened war on him. She would send assassins to kill him so she could pass on her bond to one more worthy and be free. I thought she was just throwing empty words at him in her pain. But Hikaru took her seriously. He fell into a rage and dragged her down to the dungeons himself. She was locked up with orders that she was not to be fed."

Tears misted Rin's eyes and she wiped them away angrily.

"I was upset. Hikaru came to me and explained that he would not tolerate violence against his daughter. He took my hands and begged me to forgive him." Rin clutched her hands to her chest. "He kept saying he was sorry for being arrogant he should have done what his heart told him was right. It should have been me that he mated, low birth or not. His grave error was now making him suffer. He had been greedy for more power and his bonding to Nara had been a way for him to get it. We both knew he would go mad if he went through with his threat and banished Nara. He said he would seek advice from Lord Huyu."

"Who is Huyu?" asked Linca softly.

"The God of the mountains to the west," explained Rin. "He and his mate are dragon kind. Most of the local domains pay homage to them." Chihiro remembered the shrine in the throne hall. It had been elaborate and in a prominent position. These dragons must be very powerful.

"I woke up the next morning to find the place in an uproar," said Rin in a small voice. "Nara was dead; the servants believed that Lord Huyu had dealt out judgment on her. My informants knew better; they told me that she was found hanging in her cell. She had used her own sash as a noose and she had bled herself before hand by using a sharp stone to open up her wrists. In her weakened state; prolonged suffocation could kill her. She was not a powerful spirit. It would still have taken hours for her to die..." Rin trailed off.

"But you suspected it was not her idea to die," murmured Scott, his cracked voice grating on Chihiro's ears.

"Weasel spirits are known for their sharp minds," said Rin. "I could not think otherwise, but I pushed my suspicions aside. I had a daughter who was now convinced that Nara's death was her fault and Hikaru was gravely ill." Rin's shoulders slumped. "I ignored my instincts and tended to my daughter and her father. Nara's home broke off their alliance and threatened war. I was too busy to doubt anything. Hikaru in his more lucid moments insisted that he had been to see lord Huyu the night of Nara's death, that she must have killed herself while he was away. I let him ease my fears. He was in a bad way. When he was not curled up on his bed, shivering and in a state of shock, he was holding his head and screaming."

Rin stopped talking when she realised that Chihiro had bitten through her own lip in an effort to keep from dissolving into tears. Chihiro shuddered and sucked the blood away. She needed to be strong; this was about Rin's pain, not hers. But she could picture very easily her beautiful dragons face contorted in the agony Rin described.

"Forgive me Chihiro," whispered Rin. "I did not think."

"It is forgotten," said Chihiro quickly her lip stinging as she spoke. She reached over and patted Rin's hand reassuringly.

"Finish your story Rin" she said in a gentle voice. "Help us understand so we can get you away from this place." Scott nodded, silently agreeing though Chihiro was sure he knew he could not travel anywhere for a while. Linca slipped her arms around Rin and hugged her, whispering words of support.

"Hikaru found that if he stayed in animal form his symptoms lessened," said Rin in a small voice. "While it meant he was limited in movement and unable to perform his duties, he was able to communicate with me much more effectively. He was sane most of the time though his mind would wonder. He still asked for my forgiveness and even when I told him he had it, he would not believe me. When Nara's home finally declared War on us, my daughters betrothed sent a very apologetic letter to her saying she was no longer his intended. This upset Tori even more. They had grown fond of each other over the years and played together when their father's would visit each other. Now even her friend was not allowed to see her. She was beyond consolation. She needed her father to explain the situation, but he was in his snake form most of the time and not capable of giving his daughter the comfort she needed. I was getting desperate; I had no one to turn too. My family knew nothing of affairs of the state, so could not help me. I certainly could not plan for a siege on my own. Hikaru asked me to take the mating bond on from Nara. I did not even listen to the reasons he gave me as to why I should, he was in pain and I loved him. The bond should have been mine in the first place, I did not fear taking it on even if Hikaru was altered."

Rin rubbed her hand where her mating scar should have been.

"I thought I was doing the right thing, I wanted us to be a family again. There was also an army heading for us and Hikaru needed to be stable enough to defend the citadel. A week later I was standing before Lord Huyu pledging myself to Hikaru with only my daughter and two of my sisters to witness. I was happy." She rubbed her hand again. "Or I was until we got to the confession. He first told me that it was he that had been infertile and not wanted to have a child with Nara. He said it was out of loyalty to Tori. He did not want a child from his legitimate mate to take what he considered was her birthright. He thought her strong enough to govern after a few centuries of training. He had not told Nara, knowing she would feel spurned and might leave, taking her trade agreements and his sanity with her. Instead, he blamed her for the lack of a child, hoping with time she would come to believe it herself." Rin's hands clenched into fists.

"I was furious with him; he should never have treated her so. But I was ready to forgive him. Then Lord Huyu interrupted and said the ceremony could not be completed until a full confession was heard by me. It was then that I realised that my worst fears were probably correct, that Hikaru had been responsible for Nara's death."

Rin looked around at her audience; all had their eyes downcast, they could guess what the half deranged Hikaru had told Rin. "He said that he had been to see Lord Huyu" said Rin in a dead tone. "But it was beyond the great dragon lords power to help him. The bond was for life; not even the old ones themselves could break it. Desperate, Hikaru had gone to Nara, he wanted to make amends. But she was still justifiably furious with him. She cursed him, spitting in his face. He lost his temper and bit her. He said it was an accident, a moment of madness. He had not intended to give her a full dose of poison. She died in his arms within seconds. He panicked, fearing my reaction. While he was still sane he made her death look like a suicide, then the madness claimed him and he did not remember much until he was back in his chamber with me tending him.

He claimed to have only thought of me. He wanted to spend the rest of his life making up for his crime, starting with making me the mate I should have been." Rin laughed bitterly. "But I was not listening, I felt cold. I suddenly knew I could not bond to someone who had murdered his mate in a fit of temper. What would happen if I angered him, or Tori? I would never be able to trust him, and without trust, there is no love. I was not Nara, I would not be mated to a spirit for convenience.

I said I needed time to think on what he had said and walked out of the ceremony. It was my right; my family took me and Tori in and said we could stay with them as long as was needed. They were low born, they did not really care that I had dishonoured them in leaving the ceremony. But we had all forgotten that we still lived in Hikaru's domain."

"He came after you," Scott said quietly.

"He did," confirmed Rin "He surrounded our home with his guards and demanded I come with him. I refused, I said I needed more time that he could not make me bond with him by threatening me. But he was not listening. The separation symptoms had driven him into insanity. I was his only remedy and I knew he would not let me go until I agreed. But my infernal pride stopped me. I continued to refuse, believing the mating should be a sacred pact between willing and loving individuals.

He then threatened my family. We weasels are not cowards and we protect our own. If he fought our large clan he may win but it would be bloody and brutal. I thought him still sane enough to listen to reason. If he returned in a week then he would have my answer. I planned for myself and Tori to be far away by then. But he knew me too well, he did not listen to me." Tears welled up and tumbled down Rin's face.

"He forced his way into the house and dragged our daughter from where she lay hidden under the bed. She screamed and cried so he hit her which made her cry harder, then he bit her. He probably only meant to knock her out, but his fangs were in her too long for it to be anything but a lethal dose. She stopped struggling and fell limp. I don't remember what I did but I remember hearing screaming, not realising it was me screaming. I had never heard such a sound come from me before.

I attacked him.

Bu... but he was so much stronger than I... he won easily." Rin repressed a sob and wiped her face. "I woke up in my old room in the palace and he was tending to the injuries he had inflicted on me. There was something around my neck and I realised it was a tac'tal. I knew what he was trying to do, use the old magic such an artefact carries to keep me near him and hopefully influence my will. He said Tori was dead, that my stubbornness had killed his little bird. He said he would rip apart a member of my family and make me watch for every day I refused him from now on. If I tried to be honourable and kill myself then he would kill them all, right down to my pregnant sister. He said it all so quietly, with no malice as if he was speaking of the weather..." Rin's shoulders shook with the effort it took for her not give into her tears. "I was ready to give up, I had no choice and the Tac'tal did indeed drain my will." She looked at Chihiro for a moment.

"It can be a quite effective tool for enslavement if used properly," she said softly. Chihiro had not realised that her fingers had formed a fist around her own Tac'tal. Hers had been used as a method of locating her, to keep her safe. With her bond it was now redundant, she wore it for sentimental reasons. She knew it's true purpose, but it still shocked her to hear of it being used in that way.

"I did not count on my family coming to my aid," continued Rin. "They sold everything they owned and paid off a guard at the gate. The lion spirits are here under duress and not as loyal as the others to Hikaru. I was smuggled out of the palace and met my family in the woods. They were all packed up and ready to move to another domain, all 126 of them. They wanted me to come to the south lands with them. I refused. I could not remove the Tac'tal, Hikaru would find me again and their lives would be forfeit. My father understood but my mother did not. They had to pull her away with them. I headed for the only place I knew I would be safe from Hikaru, under the protection of someone who's strength and power he feared.

"Yubaba," whispered Linca.

"Yes," replied Rin. I did not mind the hard work I would have to do or the memory stealing. I wanted to forget everything. I wanted to forget who I had been, even that I had been a mother." Rin sniffed but her tears had ceased. "I travelled quickly and reached The Bathhouse in a week. Yubaba would not accept me at first. She did not want to be drawn into domain politics. I eventually won her around by offering her gold and jewels that had been smuggled with me out of the palace. The lion spirits had known I would need funds and that I was in no frame of mind to think of practicalities the day I left the palace. They had put them in my pack and not told me they were there. Once I had given the witch everything of value I had I signed a contract and my Tac'tal's chain snapped and the loathsome thing fell to the ground. I was Rin from then on. I remembered nothing and fitted into the bath house well though some thought me proud and haughty. The only thing that did leak through Yubaba's spell was a mistrust of males. I took defence lessons from some of the staff who knew such things. I was frightened that a customer may get the wrong idea about me and I would be overpowered. I did not know where the fear came from, but I remember now... I remember who put that fear in me." She looked at Scott, still weak from his encounter with Hikaru.

"But I am not going to fear him anymore, I will not run from him a second time. I am not Rinako I am Rin and Rin is wiser and stronger than Rinako ever was." She hissed between clenched teeth. "I will find out if he lied to me all those years ago, I will know if my daughter lives, and if she does, I will keep her safe this time." Chihiro did not know what to say to her sister. What could she say in the face of such tragedy? Surely no mere words could help ease Rin's pain. Luckily, the ever practical Scott side stepped condolence and pity altogether and focused on the situation.

"He could be lying about her to keep you here Rin," he said in a half whisper. "I would not trust a word he says. He is dangerously unbalanced."

"He's more rational than when I last saw him," murmured Rin. "But I know he is not to be trusted, no matter how much I may wish it in my heart. He is not the person I once thought he was. He still murdered his mate, injured me and claimed to have killed our daughter. I cannot forgive him no matter how many years have passed. Even if I remember that I once loved him dearly, the person I loved may as well have died centuries ago..." Rin was cut off by the door to the suite they were imprisoned in rattling open. A burly bear spirit with curly black hair covering his huge head and intelligent black eyes regarded the four prisoners with interest.

"Lord Hikaru wishes to see you lady Rinako," he said respectfully. Rin sighed and nodded. She stood, Chihiro watched her with a heavy heart. Suddenly Scott's good arm shot out and his hand gripped Rin's wrist firmly.

"Remember," he hissed urgently. "He needs you but you don't need him. Whatever he threatens you with, you do have an advantage because he needs you to take on that bond, don't forget that you have value to him." He squeezed her hand tightly.

"I won't forget," she murmured, a sad smile pulled at her lips. "Don't worry human, I am a weasel spirit. The day a snake outwits me is the day I die." She pulled her hand away from his slowly and then lent forward, tucking her hair delicately behind her ears. She paused for a moment, bent stiffly over the prone human and then swiftly pressed her lips to his sweat slick forehead. "Get some rest," she whispered straightening. "I will be back soon." She walked quickly out of the room.

"Are we really going to let her do this alone?" asked Linca weakly.

"We have no choice," sighed Chihiro. "It is out of our hands. He is Rin's nemesis. We can't beat him for her. He stole her self worth and made her fear him. Only she can master her fear and best him. Even if we could help her, it may not be good for her to have us intervening."

"But he could hurt her," whispered Linca.

"We know," said Scott sharply, "and we can do nothing, look what happened to me for trying." Scott sighed and let his eyes slide closed. Chihiro decided he had the right idea. She settled her back against a wall so she could wait more comfortably for Rin's return. She was emotionally drained and heart sore from hearing Rin's tale and the warnings it held for herself and Haku. But she was too tired to dwell on her loneliness. Before she dozed off, she wondered if the Nygel was safe. With the luck they were having, the Night Wind had probably found a way to blow the carnivorous horse spirit off course as well as the rest of the questers.

* * *

_(1) Last chapter of courage explains spirit reproduction._

_(2) Tori means bird._

**Phew, great hugs to Lara beta from the forum for wading through this beast of a chapter in 24 hours. So readers, this is the largests chapter I have EVER posted. Being seperated from the internet for 3 weeks was painful but out of that suffering (or rather boredom,) came this chapter. So now we know what Rin was and why she ended up with Yubaba. I've only been leading up to it since Enchantment. Let it not be said that I rush things.**


	36. It's Not Easy Being Green

**It's Not Easy Being Green**

Haku groaned. The throbbing pain in his mouth told him he was awake and not trapped in one of the many nightmares he had been having recently. He shifted his legs, stretching the stiffness from them. His body was mostly healed from his vain escape attempt, but his teeth were still growing back and his mouth throbbed constantly. He rolled over and clenched his jaw, using the pain to wake himself fully. He had resigned himself to his imprisonment during his convalescence. He told himself that this did not mean he had given up; not at all! He simply knew there was little point in resisting his captors. He drank what he was offered; he ate everything he was given, even though it hurt his mouth. He exercised his stiff limbs. He had grown fond of performing hand stands when he got so bored he thought his mind might atrophy. He would count in his head, timing how long he could stay upside-down. His record was two hours thirty one minutes and nine seconds. That had been a particularly boring day.

He sometimes used a little of his water rations to wet the sand in his cell so he could form shapes out of it. His artistic skills seemed to extend as far as making a reasonably detailed cat. He tried to be optimistic; at least he was getting an education in how it must feel to be human. How inconvenient things were without magic! He guessed he now knew why humans were obsessed with moulding and controlling their environment. With no true understanding of how the forces of nature worked, Haku supposed the world appeared cruel and callous. Indeed, it was at times, as Haku knew well. However, this fundamental misunderstanding of the environment had lead to catastrophic consequences.

Humans had begun to view the natural world as a foe they had to battle against; something to conquer and bend to their will. As they were only pitiful humans, no spirit with which they had once shared the world had bothered to change their view or was inclined to ease their existence. They had been arrogant and seen themselves as above the weak and short lived creatures that had suddenly begun to grow in numbers, but they had made a grave error in judgement. Humans were not weak; their tenacious will to survive was so strong it was almost intimidating. They had only a few years and seemed determined to make use of every breath of them. Generation quickly learnt from generation and the human race progressed at frightening speed, with virtually no guidance from those who were older and supposedly wiser. By the time it was realised that humans could be a threat it was too late. The rift between the races was unbridgeable. Not that Haku had cared about any of those things when they were happening. It was not until a little girl had dropped her shoe into him that he even bothered to notice things had changed.

Haku had to hold his breath for a moment. Even thinking of his mate brought on heart ache so strong it was now akin to physical agony. He understood Chihiro a little more now; he realised the burden she carried in being with him. In loving him she had all her human frailties shown up in sharp and cruel contrast on a daily basis. She had no power that he had not granted her. She would age, she would someday die, she tired quickly and her body was firmly tied to the laws of gravity. She needed to eat and drink frequently to survive, if she was hurt it took time for her to heal without help... Yet she endured all this and blessed him with warm smiles and gentle kisses. It had been all those harsh differences that had made her reluctant to accept her own feelings and his love. He had thought such ideas endearing, now he knew a little of what she must have felt like.

In loving him there was also an element of guilt. He knew she felt ashamed of the animosity between their races. He had tried to assure her that that burden should not be hers. She was not responsible for the actions of others. But she had felt shame, none the less, at the folly of her own kind; ignorance was only a partial excuse.

In spite of all this, she loved him, and the depth of emotion he saw shining in her eyes at times had humbled him. She worried about him and wanted to please him even though he thought these should be his concerns alone. He loved her desperately, and she was possibly about to be snatched from him.

Kenshin was going to neutralise her by wiping her memory and removing both quest and purpose from her mind. Haku forced down the rage that suddenly heated his blood. The emotion would not help him and could cause him to panic again. Instead he ploughed his aggression into another activity. He sat cross legged and straightened his back then exhaled and cleared his mind. He concentrated on the barrier he could feel between himself and the source of his power. It was a bit like trying to dig through mortar with a spoon. It was slow and tiring work. His weak attacks against the fibres of the barrier had almost no effect. Almost; he could feel it fraying slightly with each weak pluck at it. Even a small hole would give him enough power to remove the barrier entirely. But he had to make the hole first.

The door rattled open. Haku kept his eyes closed; he knew who his visitor would be without looking. Only one person ever came to see him between meals. Haku had no idea why his captor visited him. Perhaps he liked to gloat, though he never had indulged in it in Haku's presence; on the contrary, Kenshin was very apologetic about his imprisonment. Maybe it was fear. Haku certainly would be unmerciful if he got free, and Kenshin was weakening by the day. Haku liked to think that the visits were out of shame. The spirit knew he was going to cause great suffering in the pursuit of his ideal world. He saw the casualties as a regrettable necessity. He had been a warrior for a long time and he still thought like one. The innocent always died in war; it was sad but inevitable. But that did not mean the spirit did not feel guilty.

Perhaps Haku was inadvertently providing the condemnation Kenshin secretly thought he deserved. Haku sighed. He wished he could not see the spirit's point of view, but he could. If the worlds were one, his mate would have her parents near her. She would not feel inferior or ashamed of her humanity; they would all inhabit the same world. Humans would see the consequences of their ways and change their attitude or risk hurting themselves. Spirits would no longer be able to ignore humans and would be forced into co-existing with them. It sounded good, but at such a price? There would be heavy losses on both sides and how long would the new world need to recover from its bloody birth? How long before things approached normality again? Decades? Centuries? Millennia? It was not worth it, in Haku's opinion. Then again, killing only one human had sent him into self imposed isolation for centuries. How many had Kenshin killed? Maybe life was not seen as something precious by him. Perhaps in Kenshin's case, life was something to be endured.

Kenshin cleared his throat. As always, Haku ignored him. Kenshin was more vocal if he was ignored, filling the unsettling silence with talk of inconsequential matters. Haku guessed that on some level the spirit may be lonely. Well, with only shadow spirits and Yubaba for company, Haku could not blame him. Even if the only alternative company would happily disembowel him, it had to be better than Yubaba.

"You appear to be almost fully healed," said Kenshin in a low tone. "I am sorry about the lack of fish in your meals recently, but I am sure you can appreciate I have little power to waste on trivialities."

Haku continued to fumble at the fabric of the barrier spell.

"You are being industrious again, I see," said Kenshin blandly. Haku could have sworn the air spirit found the situation amusing, though his voice held no mirth. How the deranged spirit could find the fact that he was still trying to break the barrier funny was beyond Haku.

"I suppose I can't dissuade you from your activities with horrific anecdotes of other spirits who used their life energy up in similar situations? Dying that way is agony."

"_I'm nowhere near my limit yet,"_ Haku thought at his captor. _"And it would be pointless to exhaust myself. I want to be able to help Chihiro when I get free, not burden her."_

"Of course," drawled Kenshin, "I have been in your situation a number of times. I admit that I would be doing exactly the same thing."

Silence greeted that admission.

Haku heard the spirit move closer and contemplated taking a snap at him. His remaining teeth were strong and sharp. He could rip a limb off easily. As distasteful as he found the idea, he knew he would do it in a heartbeat if it meant his freedom. But in reality, he knew well that Kenshin would never allow himself to be so much as scratched, despite Haku's weakness. Air spirits were notoriously fleet of foot. Also, even if by some cosmic fluke Haku managed to maim his enemy, it would not mean his freedom; and would worsen an already dire situation.

"I admire your tenacity," said Kenshin softly. "Then again, considering what you stand to lose it is understandable."

A warning growl forced its way from between Haku's painfully clenched teeth.

"I can see the attraction," Kenshin continued, undaunted. "I have been watching her when the witch has been spying on her. I have grown fond of her and even her companions. She represents all that is good in the human race."

Haku was listening in spite of himself, barrier momentarily forgotten; he kept his eyes closed hoping the spirit would not notice.

"She is courageous, kind hearted and has a generous nature. She has a pure soul, still unstained despite the hardships she has endured."

Haku slowly opened his eyes and stared at the ancient spirit. Kenshin was leaning against the wall of the cell, not three paces from him. He had his arms folded, shoulder blades braced against the rough stone. He was looking at his feet. His matt black hair was slightly dishevelled and his dark tunic and trousers were rumpled as if he had slept in them.

Haku blinked, eyes adjusting to the fading light. He could see blue veins running under what looked like deathly pale skin in the spirit's hands and neck. Kenshin was beginning to show the strain his gargantuan spell was putting him under. Haku wondered if Kenshin would have been able to even survive his spell if he had not had Haku's power to draw on. What really gave Haku pause, however, was the warmth in the spirit's normally emotionless voice when he spoke of Chihiro. It was certainly not how any spirit in their right mind would describe an opponent.

As if sensing Haku's puzzlement, Kenshin looked up and treated Haku to a thin smile that did not touch his ancient eyes.

"You seem surprised. I've told you before; I bear your mate no ill will, dragon. I am actually in awe she has made it so far, despite my best efforts to turn her back. Then again, I suppose she would have to be an extraordinary human to claim a dragon's attention in the first place." The air spirit lifted his head higher and stood up straight. "You met her as a child, did you not? Did you decide she was yours then? Or was it not until she was mature that you thought to claim her?"

Haku was not taken in by the topic of the conversation. Kenshin wanted him to reminisce about his cherished mate in the hope he may reveal something that could be used against Chihiro. No doubt Yubaba had told Kenshin everything she knew. Now Kenshin was seeking new sources of information. Haku narrowed his eyes in anger and glared up at the detached grey eyes of the Night Wind. Kenshin raised a black eyebrow in response.

"Not that it matters," he said with a shrug. "I can ask her when she gets here." He smirked mirthlessly at Haku. "Well, I can until I use the water bull on her that is..."

Haku snarled, bearing his teeth. He managed to remain still, however; he needed all his energy for the barrier.

"I would have thought you would be pleased that I intend no harm to her. A memory wipe will remove all trace of her quest and thoughts of you that would drive her to act against me." Kenshin frowned down at him. "Are you not being selfish, dragon?" One would hope the safety of your enchanting little mate and your unborn offspring would be of paramount importance to you."

Haku sneered at Kenshin in response. A memory wipe with a water bull was so thorough it was permanent. If the spirit wanted to temporarily sabotage Chihiro's plans then there were other, gentler ways.

"Your own mating bond and protective spells prevent the use of less invasive incantations, Kohaku," said Kenshin quietly, apparently guessing what he was thinking.

Haku paled. The spirit was quite right; Chihiro was laden with protective magic. Many were held in her Tac'Tal, others he had cast on her directly, normally without her knowledge. Add to that the spells Rin, Linca, Zeniba and possibly even Meeka and the Nygel had cast... she would indeed be a difficult target for malignant spells. A water bull's magic was ancient and strong; it was not something any of them would have thought she would come into contact with. They could not possibly ward her against everything and the beasts were incredibly rare! It had never entered his head that she would need such protection.

"You need not fear for her, Haku," said Kenshin gently. "I will ensure she is well taken care of." He rested a hand on his chest in a gesture of sincerity that was not reflected in his eyes. "I will treat her with great care and respect. As if she was my own-"

Kenshin stopped mid sentence, catching himself in the act of divulging personal information. Haku had hoped for this, but he had never imagined hearing something that would shock him so.

Kenshin wanted his mate?

That was impossible; she was bonded to him. Even with a wiped memory she would still need him and only him. Surely Kenshin knew that?

Kenshin sighed and stood.

"I am weary and it is making my clumsy," he murmured, scratching the back of his head.

Haku continued to stare at him, at a loss for what to say. Kenshin smirked at him.

"Well played, Kohaku. You drew information from me when it was I attempting to get it from you. Commendable, but the knowledge you now have will merely unsettle you. Indeed, this was not something I planned at all." He shrugged as if unconcerned. "The regard I have for your mate is undeniable. My mother knows me well and chose her weapon well. I cannot kill her, thus I will treat her as a valued object and protect both you and her from the aftermath of the convergence of worlds. When things return to relative normalcy then I will let you get reacquainted... I wish to see her happy."

The ancient spirit turned and began to move towards the door. Haku's mind finally recovered and began to function once more. He was surprised to discover that he was quite calm.

"No matter how you treat her, she will never love you," he found himself whispering.

Kenshin halted and his shoulders slumped.

"I am aware of that, Kohaku; painfully aware," he sighed, then shook his head so his untidily braided hair swung from side to side. "Even so I will take whatever she has left to give. Keeping her happy and keeping her safe will suffice." The spirit's shoulders slumped further under Haku's incredulous gaze. "I envy you, Kohaku. To be loved so fiercely by such a human must be a blessing you thank the universe for every day."

"Yes," Haku said simply.

"It is a blessing I have never had," murmured the ancient spirit. He peered back over his shoulder. "Don't begrudge me borrowing her for a while," he said with a cold smile. "Very few things interest me; but _she_ interests me. She is a diversion I cannot resist."

The spirit left.

Haku stared at the locked door. Part of him was oddly complimented that a spirit such as the Night Wind had had his withered heart touched by Chihiro. It showed how charming and desirable she was. The more animalistic side of him wanted to rip out the cold grey eyes that had coveted what was his. He was mainly perplexed, however. What did the spirit intend to do with her? Kenshin's partiality for her had saved her from actual harm, but now the spirit was possibly playing a much more subtle game. Had the cunning demon let his intentions towards Chihiro slip deliberately? If so, for what purpose? Haku decided he had no chance of guessing the spirit's true plan and was better off focusing his energy on the barrier. Jealousy was not a luxury he could afford. He had to save his mate and child from Kenshin. Suddenly Haku wondered why Kenshin had not strengthened the barrier before he left. He had known Haku was tampering with it. It was another puzzle he was not up to solving. Kenshin could say and do as he pleased. From that moment on, Haku lived for one purpose; to gain his power back.

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Kenshin watched the slightly distorted image flicker in the crystal ball. The witch's gnarled hands passed again over the surface of the ball. Blood red painted nails glided over the ball almost lovingly.

"That's the best I can do," she murmured softly. Her large eyes were closed in concentration and her brow was even more furrowed than normal.

"The barrier is interfering," she sighed. Kenshin nodded. It would do. He really only needed to confirm that Chihiro was detained. The view in the ball was that of the window of the room she was held in. Yubaba had told him of Rinako's past life as an Oiran, so he had sent the witch to ensure that the former concubine returned home and to negotiate with the snake Lord Hikaru, who had once been her keeper. He had demanded Chihiro's safe passage, though Rinako could remain behind.

Kenshin planned on slowly removing Chihiro's companions so she would be alone when she faced him. It would not do for her to travel alone, however, so the land spirit, horse thing and the other human could remain with her a little longer. The lands she still had to travel through could be lethal to a lone human. She would need their protection. Kenshin reflected that there was an element of truth in what he had told the dragon. He wished the human no harm and did think her courageous. His ruse in the dragon's cell had had one aim; to break the dragon's resolve. Kenshin needed the power he drained from the dragon and he did not have the strength to spare to reinforce the barrier that prevented the dragon from using his own power. It was beneath him perhaps to play such games but it was the only weapon he had apart from violence and the dragon did not deserve to be beaten senseless.

Kenshin had been angry that Yubaba had let his plans for Chihiro slip to the dragon. It made talking to him difficult and had increased the dragon's determination to escape. So Kenshin decided that he had to play the pathetic mad spirit before the dragon now; envious of what was his and thinking of claiming the brave human as his own. It was not much and the act sickened him slightly, but the ground work in this new strategy was important. When Haku actually saw his mate and she did not know him then the seeds Kenshin now sowed would sprout and drain the fight out of the dragon. At best Kenshin hoped he would gain time to complete his spell. If the dragon got loose before that then all would be for naught. The view in the ball moved and he finally caught sight of what he wanted to see. Chihiro was sat with her back supported against the wall, arms folded. She was asleep, eyes closed, head lolling to one side slightly. Kenshin found a smile creeping over his lips.

She was a brave little thing, but so fragile. He knew the moment he first saw her in Yubaba's ball that she was special, but it was not until he actually met her that he realised how extraordinary she was. Of course, when he sent the Rocs to cut the bridge he did not then know she was with child, he only learned that later through spying on the small group. It was at that point he decided he could not use the rough tactics he had planned to employ. He was not heartless. A mother-to-be needed gentle treatment. No, he would try to delay her as much as possible instead, and then he would make her forget why she fought to get to him in the first place. The same did not go for her companions though. It already appeared that the big human male was damaged and Rinako was not in the room.

Luckily the jezebel of a land spirit appeared to be hale and he knew the horse thing was waiting outside the citadel. The little human stirred in her sleep and sighed. Kenshin smiled again. Maybe the pathetically jealous act he performed for Kohaku was not _all_ an act. Now that was an issue that needed exploring. Was he drawn to the human he could see in the depths of the crystal? He remembered their first meeting with fondness. Though terrified, she had starred challengingly into the blackness. She was completely blind in the inky dark but refused to back down to him. She intrigued him and the more he saw of her the more intrigued he became. Jealousy was the wrong term for what he felt; he was curious. She inspired protective instincts in him too, though he was not sure why.

"She seems in good health, considering," murmured Yubaba. Kenshin did not miss the slightly scolding tone in her voice. The witch was less than pleased by his plans.

"What would you have me do, Yubaba?" he asked frankly, not talking his eyes from the image in the ball. "I am unable to kill her outright as she is on a holy quest. My own mother would be able to strike me down if I did that."

"You could imprison her somewhere," said the witch in a small voice, her eyes slowly opening. She was still very careful about criticising him openly. "I don't think it is a good thing, letting her come here."

The picture faded from the crystal.

"Prisoners create their own problems," said Kenshin, straightening up. "It's only a matter of time before our own prisoner frees himself." Yubaba winced at the mention of Haku's possible escape. She continued to press her point, however.

"She is just a human. Keeping her locked up will be easy compared to the dragon."

Kenshin threw his head back and laughed cynically at the witch's words.

"I am not wrong about this!" the witch half snapped. "She is the Old Ones' tool; she should not be permitted to get to this fortress. Using the water bull is needlessly complicated."

Kenshin stopped laughing but the smirk would not leave his lips.

"Do you fear her, Yubaba?" he asked, unable to resist taunting the witch.

"Of course not!" snorted the witch indignantly.

"Then you are concerned for her welfare?" he pushed.

"HA!" scoffed the witch. "I want to see the little wench dead and buried. I just worry that you are treating her too gently. You are allowing your enemy too close to you before dealing with her. Your mother chose her for a reason. You should keep your distance from her until the spell is complete."

Kenshin straightened and folded his arms, irritated the witch thought he was acting on instinct rather than on the product of deep and carful contemplation.

"Humans have a saying, Yubaba," Kenshin said, stifling a yawn. He was tired again even though he had only been awake a few hours. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

"That is human nonsense," the witch protested.

"Besides," said Kenshin more sincerely. "Once I have finished with her she will see me as an ally, not an enemy. I will make the tool of the Old Ones _my_ tool."

"Tool? For what purpose?" challenged the witch. Kenshin thought he really must be tired. He was not used to feeling anger, but the emotion flared up from his well guarded heart momentarily. It must have shown in his eyes because the witch cowered away from him. The pathetic sight was all he needed to quench the flames. The emotion was pointless. He knew the witch was just frightened of the consequences of what she had started. He needed her as an ally while he was weak, so he answered her.

"She will keep the dragon in line and will be a thorn in the side of my mother," he said evenly. "Chihiro will be in my thrall and while she is, the dragon will behave."

Yubaba opened her mouth to argue.

"Peace, Yubaba," sighed Kenshin, rubbing his temples. "All will be well. I am not about to take foolish risks when I am so close to my goal. I feel for the girl but I am not going to let her remain my enemy. Nor am I going to lose my focus over a pretty face and a pair of bold eyes." He treated the witch to a penetrating glare. "Or did you feel that I was so dull-witted that I would try to bed her, despite the fact she is mate to another?"

"I... I thought no such thing!" spluttered the witch.

"I assure you, Yubaba," said Kenshin in a low tone. "I am not underestimating her." He gave the witch a chilling smile. "I learned a long time ago that a female can be much more deadly than a male. They are a much more subtle and careful opponent." He inclined his head to the witch. "My mother taught me that." He clamped his jaw shut, annoyed at himself again for letting his bitter feelings show, but he was unable to repress them. He bowed and muttered his thanks to the witch for aiding him once again. He walked wearily down the hall to his room. He needed rest.

Though he had let his emotions get the best of him; what he had said was true. He would not trust Chihiro even when she had her memory taken. He did not trust Yubaba either. As much as she denied it, he knew she did not want Chihiro to have her memory erased. She liked the human on some level. Kenshin thought Chihiro may have a gift for charming people; perhaps that was what his mother hoped for... that she would charm her misguided son into abandoning his quest.

"It is too late, mother," he murmured at the marble floor beneath him feet. "I will pursue this path to whatever end it leads me, even if that end is my own end." Suddenly he doubled over, nearly crying in pain as his spell drew more power from him. He held his breath and let the agony wash over him. When it passed he shuffled painfully up the corridor and sank to the floor of his bed chamber, too weak to even move the last few steps to his bed. Blackness rushed towards him and he welcomed it. In that blackness not even his mother could hurt him.

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**Oiran -The highest class of prostitute in ****Japan, very**** similar to western courtesans. Wiki it, or download the fantastic film 'Sakuran' that Velf stumbled across in her research if you want to know more. (Only fansubed atm, based on the manga of the same name.) **

**Many many many thanks to Dimac beta for looking over this and to the forum members (extra hugs to Lara.) **

**Been some fantastic art submitted to the DA site recently too. Link is on my profile if you want to see it.**

**Also, a big thank you to EVERYONE who voted for this story in the UFO awards. This story came top in the "in progress" category. (Indebted came second.) Thank you so much for suporting this story, it means a lot to me. **


	37. The Painted Lady

**The Painted Lady**

Chihiro opened her eyes. Yes, the red room was still there, though there was significantly less light coming through the windows. How long had she been asleep? How long had Rin been gone? The sun was setting; she must have been gone hours. Not for the first time, Chihiro wished some of the more useful human-world technology would work in the spirit world. It was a great pity Softbank_(1)_ did not put up mobile phone receivers in the spirit world. Also, digital equipment, for example modern watches refused to work. Scott had a clockwork wrist watch, but the big red-headed man was still fast asleep; she was loathe to disturb him. She sighed, coming finally to a harsh realisation. Scott was probably not going to be fit for travel for some time. That left Chihiro with a dilemma; wait for him to recover, or leave him behind in someone's care. She could not afford to be delayed, but she could also not leave her good friend behind. She shook her head; she was thinking of something she had no control over. They were at Hikaru's pleasure; she could do nothing but wait and see if they could escape.

Linca shifted and moaned in her sleep. Chihiro did not want to know what the sprite was dreaming but she could guess. This was probably the longest period of abstinence the sprite had experienced since starting work at the bath house.

There was a noise at the door, as if someone with sharp nails was scratching at it. There it was again; two scratches, barely audible.

"Mistress Chihiro?" hissed a voice. "Are you awake?"

Chihiro frowned. It sounded like their lion spirit guard. She struggled to her feet, still a little groggy.

"What is it?" she asked quietly, trusting the spirit's keen hearing to pick up her whisper through the door. A slip of paper was pushed under the door. Chihiro bent to pick it up. She recognised Rin's handwriting. She quickly unfolded and scanned the note.

"Chihiro,

Hikaru and I have reached an agreement. I will stay here. Hikaru wants to make amends and I have decided to let him try. He says our daughter lives and I must find out if this is the truth. I will tend to Scott myself and his good treatment is a condition of my remaining here. You will be free to continue with Linca and our friend waiting outside.

Go with my love.

Rin."

Chihiro reread the note twice, just to be sure she had understood it. What was Rin doing? She hated and feared Hikaru! What in both the worlds had persuaded her that this was the best idea? Even if their daughter did live, Chihiro was sure that Rin knew Hikaru would not tell her Tori's whereabouts. He would exploit the knowledge and use it to keep Rin with him. It could all just be a cruel lie!

There were other ways to find Tori. Rin's blood was her blood. With a little creative magic from a powerful spirit, they would know not only if Tori were alive but they could even get a clue to her location. Chihiro guessed Hikaru would be very careful not to let Rin near a spirit with such abilities. In fact, Chihiro was willing to wager her last bar of French chocolate that Rin would not even go beyond the castle grounds for some considerable time. Why was she doing this?

The letter fluttered from Chihiro's numb fingers. Was Rin possibly putting Chihiro's needs over her own? The old man of Arron's words suddenly burned in her mind.

"One will make the ultimate sacrifice... One will fall by the wayside..." Could the prophecy be referring to Rin and Scott? She hoped fervently it was not. She had to speak to Rin.

"May I see her?" Chihiro asked quietly through the door. She glanced at Linca who still slept soundly.

"You may," said the spirit hesitantly. "I have not been ordered to imprison Mistress Rinako, though let us keep this visit between us. Lord Hikaru's good humour can easily deteriorate; it is best for us both if we do not disturb his peace of mind."

Chihiro frowned; she wondered if she was assessing the situation correctly. The lion spirit almost sounded as if he feared the snake lord. She had thought the almost identical lion spirits were mercenaries. Perhaps they too, were tied to Lord Hikaru.

"I will open the door," the spirit said softly. "You will walk through it and follow me closely." His voice took on a chilly warning tone. "Deviate from the path I take at all and I will cast a holding spell on you so fast you will think you have run into a wall."

"I will follow you," murmured Chihiro. "I just want to see my sister."

The door opened silently. The lion spirit's large golden eyes narrowed suspiciously at Chihiro. Chihiro looked back one last time to check on her sister and friend. Linca was still in a coma–like sleep, a small smile on her blue lips. However, Scott's blue eyes were wide open and looking at her enquiringly. Chihiro signalled to him that she would only be five minutes. He smiled weakly and nodded. She moved through the door.

The lion spirit bared its teeth in a wan smile and bowed to her.

"This way, my lady," he murmured.

Chihiro did as she was bid; she followed the lion spirit down the shadowy halls. Now she had a chance to look at one of the reputedly dangerous spirits more closely, she noted that all was not how it had first appeared. The lion spirit's clothes were made of high quality black silk that fit the broad shouldered spirit snugly. The material was stretched taut over the powerful shoulders and back as well as the impressive leg muscles. Small wonder Linca had been drooling over them. The silk was faded, however, almost to grey and in places was virtually threadbare. The spirit was also barefoot, and the hems of his trousers, where they brushed his feet, were frayed.

The spirit was certainly not the well paid mercenary Linca had thought he was. That meant something else was holding the lion spirit in Hikaru's employ. Linca had said, after all, that they very rarely left their home territory.

Chihiro had never been impolite, unless she was provoked or in mortal danger; that was understandable. She was hesitant to ask about the lion spirit's motivation behind working for the snake lord. She knew that considering the feelings and sensibilities of her captor was probably the first step on a very slippery slope that could only end in rabid Stockholm Syndrome but it did not matter. She still could not bring herself to remark on the lion spirit's clothing and take a guess at his circumstances. Haku would have laughed at her in that way that made her glower at him. She was not being cute by considering other people! Besides, the lion spirit had not been unkind to her. Instead she settled for trying to get him to talk to her.

"What is your name?" she asked softly.

"Baakir," replied the spirit. Chihiro frowned at the unfamiliar name. "My home is far from this place," he murmured. "Very different from here; rolling grasslands that stretch on and on. Even travelled at a run, it still takes days to cross the great grasslands."

Chihiro smiled sadly. He sounded homesick; she could empathise with that.

"Well..." she murmured. "Thank you for this, Baakir."

"I confess," said the spirit gently, "that I do not do this out of selflessness. My clan are dragon worshipers, the same as Lord Hikaru's household."

Chihiro knew that some spirits revered dragons, but she had never really understood why. Haku was very embarrassed by such attention; he did not feel worthy of it. Rin had explained that dragons were sacred beings, even among spirits. They were some of the oldest spirits and legend said that they were the first sentient beings to form on the new world millions of years ago. Creatures of purity, formed from the four elements. All other spirits were descended from them. In dragon worship, a spirit was not only revering a powerful being, but its own ancestors.

It all seemed very strange to Chihiro.

"Haku never asked to be worshiped," she muttered under her breath, "by human or spirit." She felt a chill, remembering what he had confessed to her on their mating day. It was small wonder he avoided his spirit worshipers since, as well as any human ones. The lion spirit in front of her appeared to trip over his own feet. He caught himself gracefully and turned to face Chihiro.

"You should not say his name with such familiarity when not in private, Mistress," breathed the lion spirit, his yellow eyes round with shock. "Lord Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi may be a young dragon by the standards of his race, but he is still a dragon."

"He is my mate!" chuckled Chihiro, hardly believing what she was hearing. "When I get moody with him he pins me to a wall with a holding spell and tickles me till I can't laugh anymore. He is my mate and I will call him whatever I..."

"He is a holy creature!" insisted the lion spirit, and his eyes flashed with annoyance. Chihiro gathered that she was treading on some dearly held principles. This spirit did not want to hear about the normalities of her relationship with Haku. He had a fixed idea that her mate was a magnificent creature and not the well grounded if slightly arrogant spirit, who sometimes drooled in his sleep.

The lion spirit sighed and shook his head. "I have heard that Lord Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi is more connected to the world of the non-bonded spirits than any other dragon before him. However, many of the dragon faithful were stunned that he took a human as a life mate. Many of us believed it was a symbolic gesture; a show of solidarity with those poor weak creatures that injure us in ignorance. We thought he was showing us all that you could not truly be blamed for your crimes..." The lion spirit covered his mouth with both sharp nailed hands, realising belatedly to whom he was sermonising.

Chihiro had long ago learned to ignore such ridiculous theories. She knew Haku loved her, so did not care about the rumours she heard.

"Of course," she said brightly. "Of course it is just symbolic. I mean, how could a dragon ever lower himself to love a feeble human?" She gave a rueful chuckle. She could tell the lion spirit a few stories about their "symbolic" relationship that would make him faint.

"For... forgive me, Mistress," the lion spirit murmured. "I should not have said so much. Such matters are not for the likes of me to concern myself with." He bowed low. "I spoke out of turn," he whispered. "It is not for lower spirits to second guess a dragon's motives."

"Nonsense," muttered Chihiro, but decided it was useless to try and change the spirit's mind. Belief was a hard thing to sway and there were a lot worse things the lion spirit could have faith in; Kenshin, and his destructive dogma, for example. Chihiro's face fell at the thought of the insane spirit that held her beloved captive. The lion spirit's voice broke through her bleak thoughts.

"You will be away from this place soon, Mistress," said the spirit kindly. "You will be free to complete your quest and claim your mate back." The lion spirit's golden eyes narrowed in feline anger. "Imprisoning a dragon is unforgivable..."

"And yet your master is mixed up in it all," Chihiro murmured.

"Lord Hikaru is not himself," sighed the lion spirit. He turned and began to lead the way once more. "He has not been himself since Mistress Rinako left. Perhaps now she has returned he will realise the gravity of what he has involved himself in. That witch and her honeyed promises should never have been allowed to speak to him."

Chihiro shuddered. So it had been Yubaba who had carried out Kenshin's will here. Yubaba must truly hate her.

"What if Rin does not really want to stay?" asked Chihiro suddenly. "What if she is doing this for my benefit? What if she is staying out of fear?"

The lion spirit's shoulders slumped, but he did not reply. He suddenly stopped at a red lacquered screen door. He bowed again.

"I will wait here for your return. I would ask that you would not take too long." Chihiro nodded to the spirit; she was aware that he was trying to help her. She also bowed then and slid the screen open.

She stepped into what could only be described as an opulent room. It was red, like most of the palace decor, but black silk wallhangings broke up the monotony. On them were painted white cranes, fishing for colourful Koi carp, or soaring over snow capped mountains. Chihiro could not help but run her fingers over the wallhanging nearest her. If pure spring water could form a skin on top of it, this was what it would feel like; soft and sleek.

She turned and closed the screen behind her. Small lamps set into alcoves in the walls flickered. There was no flame that Chihiro could see through the frosted glass, just a yellow glow, but the light did react to the slight breeze from the door being closed. Chihiro decided not to investigate further as she might accidently set free whatever was making the light.

In a large alcove was a canopied bed, also draped in black silk. This time the material was painted with white cherry blossom petals. The bed itself was covered in red and white silk. It was also huge, as wide as it was long.

"Yes, yes," said Rin's voice. "It's all very opulent and beautiful, but stopping these silk hangings from getting dusty is a nightmare."

Chihiro turned to the woman who was stood beside a mahogany dressing table behind her. She was the same height and build as her adoptive sister, but that was where the similarities ended... Even at her mating she had never seen her sister dressed as she was now. The first thing that struck Chihiro was that the kimono Rin wore was made out of the same midnight silk that decorated the room. The kimono differed though, as it was decorated by white orchid flowers. The flowers were in such profusion that they almost completely covered the black silk. A simple white obi was cinched around her waist. Chihiro was a little disturbed to see that the obi was tied at the front, indicating the wearer was Oiran._(2)_

The kimono was artfully arranged to expose Rin's shoulders, collar bone and the top of her cleavage. Her hair was piled up on top of her head and secured with large jade combs. Strands of silky brown hair had escaped their confinement and framed Rin's face. Her eyebrows were plucked into two delicate arches over eyes that were accentuated with soot black eyelashes and dove grey on the lids. Her face was powdered to an almost deathly white and her full lips were painted blood red.

"Oh, snap out of it!" growled Rin. "Just because you rarely see me out of my work clothes does not mean you have to gawp like a carp."

"Rin," whispered Chihiro. The name did not seem to fit the ethereal creature before her. Chihiro gathered her wits. "Rin," she tried again. "What do you think you are doing?"

"I am getting my old life back," she said matter-of-factly. "Or is the mate of a dragon ashamed that her sister was once, and now is again, a courtesan?" Rin's lips thinned in irritation. Chihiro was not fooled, she knew Rin was trying to distract her.

"You seem to have forgotten my other sister is Linca," laughed Chihiro. "I am beyond being shamed."

Rin smiled.

"Why are you staying?" Chihiro asked again in a softer tone. "It's not just for Tori, there are other ways to..."

"I have made my decision," Rin said firmly and her dark eyes leapt with black fire. Chihiro had never seen such determination on a spirit woman's face. "Much wrong has passed within these walls. I will rectify that."

Chihiro swallowed. Was she intending to be Hikaru's life mate after all? Bond to him despite all that had transpired between them? It was the only thing that could grant Hikaru relief from the separation symptoms he was suffering. Chihiro was not sure what to say, so decided just to tell her sister what she felt.

"Staying here will not be good for you, Rin. This place is not who you are anymore." Chihiro placed a hand on her chest, just over her heart. "I want to see you happy, sister. If being here can make you happy then I will accept it. I think... however... that you are not happy."

Rin sighed, her head hanging slightly.

"You do not understand," she sighed. "Perhaps when your child is born you will appreciate my feelings."

"Do you think that your daughter would want to see you like this? To know you have sacrificed yourself to a man you fear..."

"I do not fear him!" Rin hissed. "Not anymore. I pity him; he is a weak and pathetic creature. A shadow of the man I once loved." Rin clenched her fists. "A mother exists to protect her daughter. I failed my daughter once; I will not do so again. Even if she is dead I still have a duty towards her. I know what I must do now." She exhaled slowly and then relaxed. "This place has suffered too, it was once my home. I ran from my duty here and I ran from mourning my daughter. I bribed that witch to wipe my memories. I was a coward. Now I remember, I cannot run from my responsibilities again. Even if Hikaru really did kill my daughter, she deserves her mother to mourn her and feel the loss of her. She deserves to be remembered." Rin shook her head and sniffed, dangerously close to tears. She then smiled at Chihiro and held out her hands.

"Come here. I have some new clothes for you and there is a bath ready in the room next door."

Chihiro looked down at her travel clothes. They were stained and frayed at the hems. She could only guess what her hair looked like. She knew Rin was diverting her from the issue again, but for a moment she did not care. A bath sounded close to divine.

The bathroom Rin pushed her into was tiled in some sort of soft blue ceramic. There was a huge onsen-like bath that was sunk into the floor. It steamed welcomingly. Thirty minutes later Chihiro was completely free from dirt, leaves, grime, twigs, bark, sweat and insects. She realised that despite her growing belly she had actually lost weight. Her collar bones were more prominent, her arms were thinner and there was certainly less wobble in her thighs. It was to be expected she supposed, though she was sure it was not good for a pregnant woman to lose weight.

After her bath, Rin fussed over her. She rubbed some sort of oil into the abused skin on Chihiro's feet and hands. She dressed her in a serviceable linen tunic and trousers and then put sturdy new shoes on her feet, despite Chihiro's protests at wearing shoes indoors. Rin folded up her old clothes with distaste, fumbling through the pockets to make sure Chihiro had everything that she needed for her onward journey. She reverently passed the bottle of discoloured lake water to Chihiro and the lock of brittle greenish hair. She paused when she came across the bag of red of powder.

"What is this?" she asked, examining it. "I think I recognise it; Kamajii had a small jar of powder this colour. I thought it was dye and asked to borrow some. He fell into a rage! He screamed that I should never touch the jar again and I should know better than to go digging around the dangerous herb drawers. When he calmed down he told me it was a powerful poison, could even kill an ancient dragon in a large enough dose." Chihiro was not really listening; the sleeve of Rin's kimono had slipped up slightly as she held up the polythene bag to inspect it. Her pale, elegant wrist was covered in purple bruising. Rin noticed what Chihiro was looking at and, with a blush that was almost invisible under her makeup, she pulled her sleeve back up.

"Rin..." Chihiro began.

"I know what I am doing," said Rin firmly. "You must trust me." She then hugged Chihiro tightly.

"Continue your mission and get your mate back. By the time you return I will have done what I must. All will be well again and Scott will be able to go home."

She almost had to pick Chihiro up and carry her from the room. Chihiro was escorted back to her rooms by the lion spirit. When she got back Linca still slept and Scott was asleep once more. Chihiro sat beside the big human. For the first time since starting her quest she felt utterly helpless and alone. She could not help Rin; she would have to trust that she knew what she was doing. The image of Rin's bruised wrist would not leave her mind, however. Chihiro rested her head against her knees and wept bitterly, but did so silently, so not to wake those who slept.

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Linca had made quite a scene when she was told she would be leaving without both Rin and Scott. She lost her temper and demanded to see Rin. She refused to leave Scott's side despite the large human's pleas for her to go.

When she appealed to Chihiro for backing, all Chihiro could do was mumble that this was what Rin wanted. Linca had slapped her face, hard. She had screamed that the Chihiro she knew would never leave a friend behind, let alone two! Chihiro had simply looked at her, tears welling in her eyes. They were not all due to her stinging cheek. The lion spirits at last cast a holding spell on the uncooperative sprite and Baakir carried her.

The two lion spirits escorted Chihiro and Linca from the palace and through the impoverished lower city. As they walked, Baakir told Chihiro that he was told to send his master's apologies. Neither Lord Hikaru or Lady Rinako could bid them goodbye, they were both engaged in plans for the bonding ceremony. Chihiro's heart sunk into her stomach, but she did not weep. She could not help feeling that Linca may be right. She was abandoning her sister.

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**Couple of notes. **

**Softbank, Japanese mobile phone company. **

_**Oiran**_**, Japanese Courtesan. **

_**A big thank you to Keetra and Dimac for betaing. Also a huge hug to **__**Nichokiu, your kind words were wonderful and inspired me to get this finished a few days quicker ;-) **_


	38. Whispered words of wisdom

_**Whispered words of wisdom**_

Chihiro looked around forlornly. Linca was lying in the middle of the road; the holding spell had yet to wear off. They had been taken a mile from the city, in a locked palanquin. Linca had struggled against the spell the entire time, making the palanquin sway sickeningly. She only stopped when Chihiro threatened to throw up on her. Now Linca lay still on the blanket the lion spirit had laid her on. The magic would wear off in an hour and they would be free to go. Chihiro squatted beside her.

"There is nothing you can do," she said with a sigh. "Acting like a rabid dog has got you exactly nowhere." She scowled down at the inert sprite. "Biting that poor rhino spirit was hardly ladylike."

Chihiro realised she was taking her own frustration on the sprite; her cheek still stung. She was also speaking to Linca in a tone that sounded dangerously like one her mother would use when she was displeased.

Chihiro sighed and glanced around the wooded lane. The sun was shining overhead anddappled shadows were dancing on the rutted road as trees swayed in the warm breeze.

"But I can understand how you feel," she murmured to the sprite. "I don't want to accept this either." She looked at the sky overhead with its fluffy white clouds. "In fact," she murmured, "I am _not_ going to accept this!" she said firmly, finally coming to a decision.

Linca gurgled in response, the white wide eyes staring up at the blue sky. Chihiro turned her on to her right side, in case she choked. Chihiro guessed the lion spirit had not been lying when he said he was good at holding spells.

She looked up; she could hear the pounding of hooves. The Nygel had found them. The charming pony crashed through the woodland, at a full gallop, skidding to a halt just before he hit the two women.

"Mistress!" it whinnied.

"How did you know that I was here?" asked Chihiro.

"I detected Master Haku's magic!" he nickered proudly. "It practically shouts who you are."

As pleased as Chihiro was that her mate wished to protect her, she also realised that she would never be able to hide her identity, unless there was another human who had recently fallen in love with a Dragon, and would therefore be reeking of Dragon magic.

The Nygel tossed his head and snorted.

"I see someone finally put the ugly Russian in her place." Linca gurgled in outrage, but she could still neither move nor speak. "Where are the others?" asked the Nygel brightly.

"They are still in the Citadel," said Chihiro gloomily. "All did not go well there."

"I am not surprised," the Nygel snorted. "The whole place stinks of decay. Nothing good can happen in a place that smells like that."

The Nygel sat himself on the road, upright, like a dog or cat might - the front hooves were neatly placed together on uneven road, his tail curled around his rump which also rested on the road. He looked so ridiculously odd that Chihiro nearly started laughing.

"I knew you may meet obstacles so I took the liberty of threatening some of the local water spirits. They have some very useful escape routes. One of them goes right under the city."

Chihiro blinked; there was a way back into the city? They could sneak both Scott and Rin out. Even if she could not persuade Rin to leave they could at least get Scott out.

Another plan began to tentatively form in Chihiro's mind. With herself, the Nygel and Linca, they could perhaps create a diversion for the guards and corner Hikaru and force him to reveal the truth about Tori. Rin would then be free to leave; even knowing her child was dead was better than not knowing at all. Chihiro lifted a little; she was the mate of a Dragon, she was practically spirit world royalty no matter that she was human! She was not powerless. She would rescue her beloved sister and her dear friend.

Besides, she had help. The Nygel was a voracious equine carnivore, and Linca was perhaps not the most powerful spirit but she was loyal and stubborn. Together they could surely mount a rescue operation. Hot on the heels of that sentiment was doubt. She was pregnant; could she put herself in such a situation? It smacked of recklessness. She was already on a dangerous mission; could she really risk any more danger to her child? She felt guilty enough already for all the stresses she had put her tiny daughter through so far. However, if she did not go, the chances of success in her quest were so much less. Hikaru worshipped her mate; that was the main advantage. Without Chihiro, Linca and the Nygel would be in much more danger.

She bit her lip and sat down. She did not know what to do. Of course her child had to come first, that was why she was on this quest, to save her mate and both worlds so her daughter would have a happy future. Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut; what should she do? Why was nothing simple anymore? Why was she constantly having her heart pulled in different directions? Why did she have to choose who was most important to her? It was not fair! All she ever did was fall in love! But she had been warned, her relationship was, after all, cursed...

"Screw the curse!" she hissed with a vitriol that surprised even herself. "I will get my friends back and I will have my mate back. I will have my daughter and bring her up in a safe world." Chihiro realised that she had stood up and she also realised she was shouting at the sky. But she did not care. She was angry! The universe was cruel but she was not going to let it do this to her without a fight.

"I am going to be happy, damn it!" she screeched. "And I will make my mate happy. I may have more children, just to prove to you and everyone else there is no curse and you all just jealous!"

"You could be right," sighed a voice that Chihiro knew well. Only one being had that beautiful lilting voice; mesmerising and terrifying at the same time. Chihiro turned to see the Lady sitting cross legged on the ground next to Linca. The poor land sprite was trembling; probably terrified she would cause the goddess offence. The Nygel was prostrated on the ground, his velvet muzzle pressed into the dust requiring him to snort it out of his nostrils after every inhalation.

The goddess appeared not to notice either spirit. She beamed at Chihiro, her violet eyes sparkling with secrets. She was pleased about something. She was looking very un-goddess-ish too, wearing a simple flax tunic and her blue-black hair was chopped into a page-boy style.

"What do you want?" snapped Chihiro.

"That's not very nice," pouted the goddess. "And after I have been so busy on your behalf."

"What do you want?" Chihiro repeated, deliberately slowly. "Forgive me, but your tool has had a rough few days."

"Which is why I've been on my own mission," said the goddess brightly. Chihiro folded her arms.

"Well, it is nice you have done some actual work for a change," she drawled.

"That was low," said the goddess, still with a pout. Chihiro just glared at her.

"I would do more!" whined the goddess. "But the laws prevent me from..."

"Oh, spare me," muttered Chihiro, cutting her off. "I'm in the middle of a moral dilemma. The last thing I need is you to complicate things further. Dealing with your first born son is just about pushing me to breaking point. I don't need his mother's advice right now."

"Chihiro," said the goddess gently. "I know your path is more than difficult, but please do me the courtesy of listening to me for a moment."

Chihiro's shoulders slumped and her anger drained away, leaving only stress and tiredness. She sat on the other side of Linca, cross legged like the goddess.

"I will get straight to the point, as you appear to be holding on to your temper by a thread," said the goddess kindly. Chihiro nodded, listening.

"I have been watching your progress, just as my son has. I saw what you have been dragged into. I decided to get to the root of the issue myself. So I did a little detecting, plus a little incognito travel." She gestured to her plain clothes, then raised a long fingered blue hand.

"Tori, daughter of Rinako, is alive. She was given to allies of her Father."

Chihiro swallowed. Rin's daughter really was alive; Rin's instinct had been correct. Chihiro immediately saw the impact of this information. Rin would have no reason to stay with her insane lover any longer, if she knew her daughter was alive.

"I must tell her," said Chihiro softly.

"Your noble steed can easily sneak in and give her the information. You need to rest," insisted the Goddess sternly. "You are carrying a Dragon's child. While there is very little danger of a miscarriage or damage to her by her mother starving, or becoming ill, there is a danger to you, Chihiro."

Chihiro blinked. This was new; no one had told her that being pregnant was dangerous to her. Well, no more dangerous than normal pregnancy anyway.

"The child will sap your strength, almost to the point where you will barely have the strength to move just before the birth."

That sounded fairly normal to Chihiro. She would be big, fat and irritable.

"You misunderstand me," said the Goddess, perhaps reading her thoughts. "You will need magical help to be able to feed yourself and have the energy to wash and dress yourself. Without getting it you could slip into a coma, even die during the birth. The child will be fine, but there is a very real danger to you. Your human body has no source of magic to nourish a child in that way. Without that source of power, the child will feed on your life force instead. That would not be a problem, ordinarily; you can afford to lose some of your life energy without any dire side-effects. However, your child is half Dragon, progeny of an extremely powerful father. It will need more of your life energy than you can perhaps provide." The Goddess shook her head and sighed heavily. "With your mate at your side there would be no danger. That is why perhaps no one has mentioned this to you before now..."

Chihiro was too tired to really care about the danger her child may pose to her. As long as the child was in no danger, all would be fine.

"How long do I have?" she asked in a monotone.

"You will not start to suffer in earnest for months," said the Goddess dismissively. "The point I am trying to make is that you must eat well and rest well. You will need to be in the best of health possible so you can cope with the later stages of your pregnancy. At the moment I think you are considering your child more than yourself. The child will be fine, Chihiro; you, however, are more fragile and need to take care of yourself."

"How am I meant to do that while trekking across the countryside to deal with your insane son?" muttered Chihiro wearily.

"You must find a way," said the Goddess quietly. "Or your daughter will grow up without a mother and possibly without a father as he may not survive the trauma of your death."

Chihiro's hand flew to her chest; it almost felt as if the goddess had stabbed her there. She sometimes forgot how directly her death would affect Haku. In her more desolate moments, she even regretted bonding to him. They could have just lived together, or settled for a human type wedding. But she knew how Haku had wanted her to be tied to him as closely as possible, making her position as his mate indisputable. No one would dare question her right to be with him now they were bonded, or the legitimacy of any children they had together. Also, as his bonded mate, she gained strong protection from malicious magic, something vital as a human living among spirits. The benefits were undeniable, but the cost was great. Many spirits would never bond to their partner. For them, the price was too high.

The Goddess smiled at her sadly.

"You have come far, do not sprint finish and arrived exhausted."

"_If she can keep placing one foot before the other, she will walk on through the haze, through which my insight grows dim_," Chihiro quoted. The prophecy was almost branded on her heart, she knew it all.

"Exactly," replied the Goddess, standing. "Nygel," she said, turning to the trembling water horse. "Enter the city secretly and do not let yourself be seen. Inform Rinako of her daughter's existence. Tell her of the route out and that her sisters are waiting for her outside the city. We will wait a day to recover our strength, then we will be on our way. What she chooses to do is to her prerogative. I, myself, will transport the injured human from the Citadel once she has decided to join us or not. He will not be harmed, so she does not need to consider him in her decision."

Chihiro was thankful for that, at least...

"Can't you just transport them all out?" asked Chihiro.

"That would resolve nothing," said the lady firmly. "It may leave behind a situation my son could exploit again."

Chihiro nodded.

The Nygel took off at a gallop.

"Now, we need to get you some rest," ordered the Goddess. She looked at Linca, still lying immobile on the broken road. "We have to let the land spirit sleep off her restraining spells too." The Goddess put her head on one side. "Those lion spirits can cast very effective holding spells. I'd have to knock you out just to remove it."

Chihiro sighed and also stood.

"All right, I will make camp..."

"Nonsense," interrupted the Goddess. "I'll do that." She smiled at Chihiro mischievously.

"All you need to do is SLEEP..."

Chihiro nearly gagged as a wave of magic crashed into her. Her legs buckled and the Goddess caught her. The deity smiled and held Chihiro in a comforting embrace.

"Not... fair..." Chihiro whispered, fighting her leaden eyes.

"Don't resist," murmured the Goddess. "You must rest. Sleep, Chihiro, you are safe."

Chihiro sighed, and relaxed at last. She slumped against the lady.

"Thank you," she murmured in a small voice.

"You are welcome, my daughter," whispered the Goddess.

Chihiro sucked in a dry sob of utter exhaustion and let oblivion claim her.

-- -- -- XXXXXXX -- -- --

Chihiro woke slowly. It took some minutes to realise she was not under the beige covers Scott had given her to form a tent. The material above her was black and supported by polished wood.

She rolled sideways; she was lying on a well padded mattress and under blankets on cashmere-like material of varying hues. She was warm and comfortable. How long had it been since she felt warm and safe? She almost wanted to burrow into the blankets once more, and forget about everything. However, she needed to know if Rin had received the message and this motivated her to roll to her knees and shrug off her luxurious woollen cocoon. Her feet were greeted by soft carpet, rather than hard ground. There was a small stove in one corner, keeping the large tent at an even temperature. There was a light above her head, made of what looked like hammered brass. Dozens of tiny pin size holes pierced the metal, spraying the light around the tent in small concentrated beams.

There was a small foldaway table before her that was almost threatening to fold itself back up as so much fruit, bread and cheese was stacked on it. Chihiro was immediately reminded that she had eaten very little of what she had been offered at Hikaru's Palace.

She tore into the plump apples, eating even the pips and the core,then moved on to the bread and butter-yellow cheese. She washed it all down with something that looked and tasted like milk, but was far more refreshing.

Stomach satisfyingly full, Chihiro pulled her sleep rumpled hair into some semblance of a ponytail and straightened her creased garments. She then proceeded to unlace the straps on her 'door'. She realised that her tent was constructed of what appeared to be black felt.

She freed the tent flaps and shuffled out of the comfort and warmth...

It was night. She guessed it was not long before midnight, but she could not be certain. There was no moon, but the stars shone brightly. She slipped on her shoes, which were just inside the tent, first checking for bugs, scorpions, small brownies or any other mischief making spirits that may try to trip up or walk her against her will into the nearest river. Poor Scott had been their victim twice.

Being the mate of a Dragon had its perks... She was very unlikely to suffer such a prank, though she did not want to get complacent. Life on the move was harsh; the less left to chance, the better. Chihiro looked around her. The clearing that the tents were pitched in was probably not that far from the road. There was a distinct lack of land spirits, Nygels and blue skinned Goddesses. She squinted into the shadows, cursing her lack of night vision. She almost screamed when a hand landed on her shoulder.

"It's me!" hissed Linca's voice. Chihiro gulped back a sharp retort. She could only make out the general shape of the spirit's form in the dark.

"You are finally up and about, I see," said Chihiro, trying to keep her tone neutral, after her fight.

Linca's small, delicate hand slipped into hers.

"Chi, come with me," she said softly. A shiver ran down Chihiro spine. She knew she was not going to like this. The sprite guided the near blind human to the road, helping her pick her way through the broken paving slabs and other rubble. Chihiro stumbled on through the dark. Suddenly she saw a light, far ahead of her, through the trees. It was more of a soft glow, really than a light that actually shone.

"What is that?" she asked softly.

"The Citadel burns," said Linca's voice in the darkness.

Chihiro gasped. Her heart felt like it had leapt into her gullet and got stuck there. Was this the resolve Rin had spoken of? To burn the city to a cinder and wipe out all trace of herself and her tragic past from the landscape? What about Scott?

"The Palace still stands," said Linca quietly, squeezing Chihiro's hand as if to try and reassure her. "It is the lower city that burns."

"What will we do?" asked Chihiro in a small voice.

"Nothing," sighed Linca. "It would take half a dozen water spirits working together to douse the blaze."

Chihiro felt the Tac'Tal at her throat grow warm. She thought that perhaps it was trying to tell her something.

"Or maybe it would take just one Dragon's mate," murmured Chihiro. She felt rather than saw Linca's sceptical look in the darkness. "What is the point of me being mated to him if I don't get to pull rank every now and again?" asked Chihiro, her expression grim.

"Maybe you should just let it burn," said the Goddess's voice in the darkness. "The fire would not be burning unless someone wanted it to be burning. Lord Hikaru's underlings are more than capable of mastering such a blaze."

Chihiro realised she was stood beside her. The lady rested a hand on Chihiro's shoulder; Chihiro could not even see the outline, so well did her skin and hair blend into the darkness.

"I think perhaps we are seeing a diversion. It appears the concubine was not as accepting of her situation as she led you to believe." Chihiro thought she heard approval in the deity's voice.

"The lower city is empty. No one is suffering and a magical barrier still protects the upper city." The invisible Goddess squeezed Chihiro shoulder.

"Let it be, child. Trust your sister. All that time scrubbing bathtubs has taught her patience and endurance. These were qualities she once lacked. Wait and see what the morning brings. I think you will be surprised."

Chihiro sighed. She was still tired. She eyed the glow on the hillside, worriedly.

"Alright," she whispered. "But if the Nygel does not return tonight, I am paying the Citadel a visit tomorrow."

"Very well," murmured the Goddess and Chihiro felt the comforting presence vanish from her side.

-- -- -- XXXXXX -- -- --

**Big thank you to Dimac for this. It had many more mistakes in it than usual. Thanks, also, to Bluemoon on the forum. I also have new indebted fanart to show you from a new artist, the link is on my profile, as always. **


	39. Home Truths

**Home Truths**

The Goddess might have left, but her palatial tent remained. Linca led Chihiro back to the warmth and comfort where she slept till dawn. When she woke, she and Linca picked at the remainder of the food. Neither had much of an appetite.

"We should go," said Chihiro listlessly.

"Yes," replied her sister in a dead tone. Both were dreading what they would find at the Citadel.

They had barely left the tent when they heard the pounding of hooves. The Nygel burst into the woodland clearing. The normally charming pony was clearly distressed. His flanks twitched, his nostrils flared, his ears were laid flat on his head. His usually serene brown eyes rolled with fear and his bay coat was covered in foam.

"Water!" the water horse wheezed. His legs buckled and he collapsed, rolling onto his side, legs flailing.

Chihiro heard Linca mutter something and a small grey cloud materialised above the Nygel. Steady rain began to fall on the spirit horse. Chihiro fetched a bowl from the tent which had been used to hold fruit and held it under the rain until it was half full. She knelt by the Nygel and lifted his head up so he could drink from the bowl. Reassuringly, the horse started to drink noisily.

"More!" he gasped when he was finished. Chihiro repeated the process, while Linca rubbed the foam from his flanks. The Nygel's fluffy coat darkened and became sleek and shiny under the rain. Chihiro reminded herself that the Nygel was a water spirit. She had never really thought about how uncomfortable it must be for him travelling long distances over land. He was supposed to be spending his days submerged, catching fish and tormenting the odd human, not carrying them thousands of miles across dry land. Yet he had never once complained or asked for anything in return. Chihiro felt a stab of guilt. She had taken his loyalty completely for granted.

"I think he is dehydrated," murmured Linca absently. "His tail is a little singed. He must have got caught in the fire."

"I did," snorted the Nygel. "The drain I used to enter the city was blocked off by a fallen building. I had to find another way out. The flames almost caught me. I returned to the Palace, but by that point the guards were fighting each other and all was madness. I hid in a lake until the worst of the flames were gone, then I ran through ashes of the lower city and escaped."

The Nygel tried to roll onto his belly but his legs would not co-operate. He gave up and drank another bowl of water, then spoke again.

"I saw Mistress Rin," he murmured turning his face up to the rain and blinking blissfully as the water fell on his face."She was well. She somehow knew what I was going to tell her..."

Chihiro said nothing, though she burned to ask questions; she did not even move back from the rain cloud. She merely sat and waited, getting steadily soaked.

"Quite a clever plan, really," whinnied the horse. "She started a fire in a deserted section of the lower city, or rather those two cat spirits did it for her." The Nygel shook his head vigorously, spraying his attendants with water. "They have a deal of some sort. Anyway, the residents of the lower city fled. The guards left the Palace to deal with the fire at Lord Hikaru's order." The water horse swallowed and snorted water from his nostrils."She saw me just before she started the fire, warned me of her plan and told me to return to you. I could not get out! When I returned to the Palace I learned that Lord Hikaru had perished and that Mistress Rin had taken control of the Citadel. The majority of the guards had taken her side immediately, knowing she would govern more appropriately. However, some remained loyal and from what I saw they were slaughtered. I hid in the lake in the garden until the fighting and the fires had died down. Then I ran back here."

Chihiro looked from the Nygel to Linca and back again. The Nygel groaned and laid back down into the rapidly growing puddle that Linca's cloud was creating. Chihiro patted his neck absently. She looked back at Linca again. The spirit's white eyes were unreadable. She knew that her sister was thinking the same thing she was.

"I don't believe it," Chihiro whispered.

"You don't want to believe it," corrected Linca. "But it is probably what happened." The white-haired spirit sighed and stood. "She has been more than provoked; her motive would be considered justified. The justice system is very different here, Chi." murmured the spirit. "In such a case there would be no penalty; not even a bond of servitude would be issued."

Chihiro swallowed. She did not want to listen to Linca justify the reasons her sister may have committed murder. Rin was brash, but she was also kind and loving, not to mention fiercely protective of those she loved. Then again, could that protective element of her character driven her to...

Chihiro shook her head.

"She didn't do it!" she protested.

"You know in your heart she probably did," said Linca in a small voice. "And I for one do not condemn her." Linca's white eyes narrowed. "Or would you prefer she had bonded to the insane bastard?"

That brought Chihiro's protests to a halt. Perhaps murder had been Rin's only way out? No matter how abhorrent Chihiro found the idea, she was aware that the spirit world would view such a death as a lawful killing. Rin had been deeply wronged and had perhaps sought retribution. It was her right to do so. But Chihiro still hoped she had not. It was a stupid, childish hope, but she nurtured it nonetheless.

"Let me ask you this," said Linca lightly, stooping and offering her hand to her sodden and confused sister. Chihiro took her hand and let Linca pull her up. "What do you think you will do when we finally track the Night Wind down?" she queried softly. "Do you think after you have had a civilised chat over a cup of green tea that he will let Haku go and reverse his spell?"

Chihiro paled. She had deliberately not thought about what she would do when she finally faced her enemy.

"What will you role be?" continued Linca. "How will you end this and fulfil your quest?"

"I don't want to kill anyone!" Chihiro almost wailed. "It's not right!"

"How many people will he kill?" asked the sprite, still in the same soothing tone. "I can assure you he will not agonise over disposing of you if you become a real threat to him."

Chihiro stared at Linca, open-mouthed. Her whole perception of her situation and mission had just been well and truly undermined.

"I... I will not stoop to his level," she stammered. "If I act like him, then I am no better than him."

"Nonsense," snapped Linca, her normally inscrutable eyes blazing for a moment in annoyance. "Don't quote that pacifist claptrap at me! I know the harsh reality of the situation that we are in, and I acknowledge it." She pointed an accusing finger at Chihiro. "Make no mistake, Chihiro, you will have to find a way to neutralise Kenshin and his spell. The easiest way to do that is to end his life. If you want to win against him, then you have to be prepared to go to any lengths to do it!" She tossed her head and irritably flicked a few stray strands of white hair out of her eyes. She appeared to be quite agitated by Chihiro's attitude towards bloodletting. "If you want a quote, how about this one? 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.' If you refuse to stain those pretty, pale hands of yours when the time comes then millions will die!"

Chihiro glared at Linca; she was angry at her words and did not want to admit that the sprite had a point. Could she afford to cling to such sensibilities when so much was at stake?

Linca's voice became calm once more, but it had a cold edge to it still.

"And if that is too much for the human mind to contemplate, try thinking about it this way." She put her head on one side and pinned Chihiro with her icy eyes. "Given the choice, who would you rather save, Kenshin or Haku?" Chihiro felt as if Linca stabbed her in the chest with an icicle." If it came to it, would you strike him down to save your mate?" whispered Linca.

"He... he is far too powerful... he would never..." stammered Chihiro, almost unable to order her thoughts.

"Would you strike?" interrupted the sprite. Chihiro trembled with emotion and let her eyes slide shut. There really only was one answer, and both she and Linca knew it. She resented Linca for forcing her to admit it.

"Yes," she whispered.

"That's what I thought," grunted Linca. "That is the way things should be. You are his mate, and entitled to seek vengeance against the one who has harmed him."

"What were you before you came to the bathhouse, Linca?" muttered Chihiro ruefully. "Some sort of spirit lawyer?"

Linca actually laughed.

"I am well acquainted with spirit law. I was bonded into servitude twice, remember?"

"Yes," murmured Chihiro. "Once, for being a total harlot and seducing a mated spirit and the other for something else but you have not told me what...."

Linca smiled weakly.

"I deserved both, one more than the other."

There was a light cough behind them. Both the spirit and human spun around to see one of the identical lion spirits standing on the road, apparently waiting patiently to be noticed. Neither had heard him approach. The spirit was resplendent in white linen tunic and trousers. The tunic was simply tied in the middle with a black silk belt. His face was expressionless, as was normal. His eyes, however, blazed with golden fire. Chihiro felt the unsettling urge to run. Why did predators have to cultivate that look? Even Haku was no exception. The lion spirit smiled at her, sensing her unease.

"Do not fear, mistress, I am merely happy," he purred. Chihiro blinked. His tone was very different from the servile one she had known him to use previously. "Though my circumstances have changed, you are still a Dragon's mate. You remain my social superior." He bowed, but only shallowly. "I will not harm you, or anyone you call 'friend'. You have my word on that as a free spirit."

"Free spirit?" echoed Chihiro, still reeling from the conversation she had had with Linca. "What you mean?" The lion spirit grinned, baring sharp, white canines.

"Do you honestly think I and my brother stayed in that stinking city by choice?" he asked. "Lord Hikaru liked to travel as a young spirit. His wanderings brought him into our territory." The lion spirit shrugged. "He was not to know, I suppose, that he was violating our laws, and we were not to know how powerful he was." He shook his head. "The females attacked and he killed them all. He took pity on the six cubs that were left behind. Now I and my brother are all that remains of our pride."

"What happened to the others?" asked Linca softly.

"They died," said the spirit flatly. "Some, when they were cubs, others when they reached maturity," he smirked mirthlessly to himself. "The females, especially, found it difficult to serve an overlord who had murdered our mothers. We are a proud people. When they realised escape was impossible, they took their own lives." The lion spirit's eyes blazed again and he growled under his breath. "My brother and I swore we would swallow our dignity and survive. Now we are free. We have but one task left to fulfil and we will do it gladly. Then we will return to our home and find some lone females." He clenched his fists. "We will found the strongest pride on the great grasslands and all will respect us."

Linca raised an eyebrow as if she was sceptical. Chihiro felt she understood the lion spirit's goal. From what she had seen on documentaries she knew lions lived in semi-patriarchal family groups. The females hunted and provided for the cubs. The males, normally just one or two of them, provided protection. Chihiro knew it must have been very difficult for such a spirit to live away from his territory and away from his family. As a male he should have a small harem of females and a swarm of cubs. But he had been raised in servitude. Small wonder only two of the six cubs had lived. She had no doubt that he would do as he said and found a great pride; making up for his years of bondage. One thing puzzled her, however.

"You are wondering what became of my father?" said the spirit, again predicting Chihiro's thoughts; she began to wonder if he was slightly telepathic. "He committed the most dishonourable crime," the spirit growled. "He abandoned his pride when he realised how strong Hikaru was. Without his support the females were practically helpless. He left them to be slaughtered, while he ran like a dog."

Chihiro thought the spirit was being rather unfair to dogs; then again, a cat spirit would be.

"But I digress," the spirit said in a more controlled tone. "I am here to escort you back to the Palace. Lady Rinako wishes to speak to you."

Chihiro frowned and finally refocused her mind. She should have asked about Rin first! Linca really had addled her wits.

"Please, lion spirit, tell me what has happened," she asked softly.

The spirit smirked at her. Chihiro blushed a little; she could not tell one spirit from the other.

"I am Baakir, mistress, please do not feel embarrassed. I know it is difficult for a human with a limited sense of smell to tell me and my brother apart. I am not offended." The spirit chuckled to himself but then his face turned serious. "Lady Rinako seized control of the Citadel after Lord Hikaru perished. There was a brief counter-revolution attempt but nothing serious. Most supported Lady Rinako as we remembered how capable she was and knew she would be an improvement on Lord Hikaru and bring stability. After all, Lord Hikaru was dead and she was to be his mate. It is only natural that she should have leadership of the Citadel."

"But what about her daughter?" cried Linca. "We thought she was submitting to Hikaru's will so that..."

The lion spirit raised a clawed hand, silencing her.

"That was easily countered," he said with a wolfish grin. "As soon as we informed Lady Rinako that we knew her daughter's location, she offered us our freedom in return for reuniting them."

Chihiro gasped. She knew it was looking more and more likely that Rin had taken matters into her own hands. With confirmation that Tori was alive and well, Rin would have had no reason not to act against Hikaru.

"Of course, we had to put her into a position of power first, so we could be granted freedom. So we created a few opportunities for her." The lion spirit grinned to himself again. "I knew weasel spirits were reputed to be devious, but even I was surprised by her acumen."

Chihiro's last optimistic hope was crushed. It seemed certain that her sister had killed someone in cold blood. She knew she should not be disturbed by this. Rin was entitled to vengeance; she would not be viewed as an outlaw. But it made Chihiro's heart ache to think that Rin had killed someone. Maybe there were certain things a human could not accept, no matter how long they lived in the spirit world.

They left the Nygel in a nearby pool to recover, and followed Baakir back to the Palace. Chihiro realised she dreaded meeting Rin. She might understand her motives and she loved her dearly; but she could not escape the feeling that from now on her sister would be a much more distant figure in her life. So with a heavy heart, she approached the burnt out shell of the city.

She may have shed one or two tears, but Chihiro had too much on her mind to notice.

xxxxxx

_**Happy new year everyone!**_


	40. Polythene

_**Polythene**_

There were bloodstains on the floor of Hikaru's Throne Room. There were also notches cut out of some of the supporting pillars and the guards that lined the approach to the throne looked like they had had a few notches cut out of them too. Most were injured, though all seemed able to stand. Despite this, there was a jovial atmosphere in the room. The guards stood tall with straight spines, like professional soldiers, but there was no tension in their posture. Chihiro saw that the drapes which had once hidden the alcove containing the throne had been torn down. She blinked, not quite believing what she saw. Her sister now sat where Hikaru once had. The throne was a plain, dark wooden one, but intricately carved. As Chihiro got closer, she realised the carvings were of intertwined Dragons with eyes made of inlaid mother-of-pearl.

Rin herself had changed guises once more. She was dressed in a green echo of what she had worn at the bathhouse. Her hair was loose and there was not a trace of make-up on her face. She sat cross-legged, a small smile upon her lips.

"Hello," she said, greeting them with a warm smile. She gestured at the hall.

"This place may have lost a little of its polish in the last few hours, but I think we can manage to provide for a few honoured guests." She jumped off the throne and hugged both of her sisters. Then she sat on the lowest step that led up to the dais the throne sat on. She patted the step with one hand, indicating they should be seated. She waved away the guards with her other hand. The hall immediately emptied.

"I like this ordering around thing," said Rin with another grin.

"Mind telling us what is going on?" asked Linca sharply. "A day ago you were about to have a forced mating, now you are Lady Rin and distinctly lacking in a mate."

Rin sighed. She glanced at Chihiro for a moment then bowed her head.

"It is quite simple to explain. The lion spirits visited me in secret. They vowed on the heads of their future cubs that they knew that Tori was alive and exactly where she was. They were prepared to be subjected to a truth spell if I saw fit."

"That's strong magic," whispered Linca.

"Yes, it is," murmured Rin. "They cast it on each other. They stated that they had told me the truth as far as they knew. However, they were clever enough to set a time limit on the spell. They had barely told me that my daughter lived when the spell ended. I did not have a chance to ask them a single question," Rin frowned at her feet, "but they needed to keep their secrets as they wished to trade. They wanted their freedom in return for my daughter's location."

"You know where she is?" gasped Chihiro.

"Yes," whispered Rin. "The Northern Wastes. She is imprisoned in a fortress owned by our allies." Rin's frown deepened. "She better not have been mistreated or I will raze the place to the ground."

Chihiro hoped with all her heart that Rin's daughter was all right.

"She will be a grown woman now," murmured Rin. "She will not know me at all."

"She will get to know you," said Chihiro reassuringly.

Silence fell; to all three it had become quite evident that Chihiro and Linca would still be leaving Rin behind.

"One will fall by the way, called by a greater need. One shall find their true place and one shall make the greatest of sacrifices..." murmured Rin. "I am not sure which one is me..." She then shook herself, and appeared to brighten in attitude. "Scott is definitely too sick to go with you or come with me..."

"The Goddess has offered to help him," said Chihiro softly.

"I am not giving him to her," said Rin tightly. "He will remain in the care of my household until he is well; then I will take him home myself."

Rin stood.

"Do you want to see him?" she asked suddenly. Chihiro nodded, feeling her chest tighten. She was going to miss the man who had once adored her.

She soon found herself pushed into Scott's sleeping quarters. Her treacherous sisters remained outside, apparently fully aware of how awkward would it would be for both of them and content to let them face the situation alone. The room was relatively plain compared to the rest of the Palace. Painted shoji screens and tatami mats were the only decoration. Scott was lying on a futon, blue eyes shining with welcome.

"Chihiro," he whispered weakly. "Rin said you had left."

"I could not go without saying goodbye," said Chihiro with a forced smile. "I owe you so much!"

He chuckled at her, but his laugh was more of a rasping wheeze.

"You owe me nothing," he said firmly. "I chose to do this; no-one forced me. I only wish I could have been more help to you."

Chihiro sighed and knelt beside the futon. He was pale and his lips were split and cracked from his fever. Chihiro found herself thinking that she did not deserve loyalty from someone she had hurt. He must have seen the emotion on her face.

"Stop brooding," he chuckled. "You have no reason to reproach yourself. You never lead me on and you never encouraged me."

She blinked rapidly at him, surprised he would speak so openly.

"I am your friend; I accepted your feelings and moved on." He winked at her cheekily and grinned, making his damaged lips weep slightly. "I tried to steal the heart of a woman who was already taken, though she herself did not know it." He sighed wistfully and smiled at her. "You deserve to be happy; I wanted to help you achieve that. Not because I am still pining for you, or harbour hopeless feelings of unrequited affection... Friends help each other, not out of obligation but because they want to."

Chihiro thought she would burst into tears; her heart swelled and seemed to want to break free from her chest. She took hold of one of his pale skinned hands, which dwarfed her own. She still felt responsible for the hurt she had inflicted on this big-hearted man. If she had been attracted to him she was sure he would have treated her like a princess and any obstacles that nationality, language and distance may have put before them would have been easily overcome. But in reality he had never even had a chance. Chihiro's soul had been captured by a pair of liquid jade, almond shaped eyes when she was still a child. Her heart had never wanted another.

"Besides," said Scott. "Even though you are incredibly cute, you are highly strung and quite stubborn. I think I need someone with a more serene personality and at least a modicum of commonsense; someone who is less high maintenance."

"I have commonsense!" protested Chihiro.

"In very small doses," he said and squeezed her hand to show he meant no offence. His bright blue eyes turned serious as he looked up at her. "I would have gone with you to the end of this, Chihiro, if I had been able to," he whispered.

"I know," she replied, brushing some strands of thick red hair out of his eyes. "I would not have made it past the first week of this quest without you. You have made me strong and kept me moving when I wanted to give up. I can never repay you for what you have done for me."

"Just be happy," he said softly. "Take back what is yours and be happy." A smile crept back over his lips. "Don't feel sorry for me, Chihiro. I have no doubt that I will be very well taken care of. Your sister is far from ugly and once you look beyond her temper, sharp tongue and even sharper knives... you discover that she is actually a warm and kind person." Chihiro lifted an eyebrow, a little surprised that Scott had taken a liking to Rin. Their personalities were vastly different. "I look forward to her fussing over me, while at the same time pretending she is not concerned about a mere human," he said, chuckling quietly to himself.

"Rin is going to find her daughter," Chihiro reminded him. "You could be here alone for some time."

"I'm not going anywhere for two months at least, if the healers here are to be believed." Scott shrugged his shoulders, clearly unconcerned by the prospect of being tended to by spirits he did not know. "I suspect she will be back long before I am well enough to even walk unaided. Woe betide any who try to get in her way or slow her down. I'm betting she will have her daughter back here within three weeks."

"Just don't annoy her too much," warned Chihiro. "I don't want to hear that she had to banish you for aggravating her."

"Don't worry," said Scott blithely. "I plan on being a perfect gentleman and a very undemanding houseguest. She will have enough to do with getting the Citadel repaired and prospering as well and getting to know the daughter she once thought to be dead, without having to worry about me. I will be as quiet as a mouse, I can assure you."

Chihiro's heart lifted; Scott would be fine without her. He squeezed her hand again.

"Concern yourself with what you have to do to get your mate back. I'd like to meet the man I lost you to." Chihiro smiled and decided not to tell Scott that Haku would probably not, at first, be all that understanding about the history between them. Mated she might be, but that would not stop her green eyed Dragon turning into a green eyed monster. Not that Haku did not trust her; he just did not trust any other eligible male near her - and a few non-eligible ones into the bargain. She would need a lengthy discussion with him before he ever met Scott, to make sure he was on his best behaviour. She was not going to let him insult her friend through some misplaced feelings of masculine possessiveness.

However, for the moment, he was far from her and what he didn't know would not hurt him. She could act like a normal human woman would towards a normal human male friend, without any spiritish misunderstandings. She bent forward and kissed Scott carefully on his damaged lips. Her heart ached briefly; for a moment as she was reminded cruelly of all that had been snatched from her. She leant back to see that Scott's blue eyes were also filled with emotion. They both knew that the kiss had meant goodbye. They might never see each other again and even if they did they would probably never be this close to one other again. If all worked out as she hoped she would have her mate back and her child would soon follow.

They would be her world, with even her sisters coming second to them. Scott, when he was recovered, would return to the human world. It was to be expected that they would drift apart. That was the nature of friendship. Some friends were companions for life. Others were short intense relationships, built on necessity. She and Scott had needed each other; though the reasons behind that need were different it did not matter. But now they would part and possibly go their separate ways forever.

"I'll never be sorry to have come here," said Scott, his voice thick. "I had lost my way in the human world; my life had no direction." Scott clasped both of her hands with his. "You've let me see how precious my own life and family are to me. I will not waste a single day when I am better. I swear that to you."

Tears finally spilled from Chihiro's eyes.

"That's good to know, my friend," she whispered. "That's good to know."

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Chihiro had one last thing to do before she was ready to move on with her quest. Though she felt the ever present pressure of time, as well as the growing symptoms of separation from Haku, she knew she had to settle one last issue. It would not be easy to ask what she wanted to and she feared the answer, but the question would not leave her thoughts. She had to know what had become of Hikaru.

When she left Scott, Linca slipped into his room, quietly closing the door. Rin was still waiting in the corridor outside. Her dark eyes looked at Chihiro with some trepidation. She also knew what Chihiro was going to ask. Rin sighed resignedly after Chihiro had held her gaze for a moment. Rin knelt gracefully on the floor and motioned for Chihiro to join her. Chihiro sat where she indicated.

"As you know, I was going to be his mate because I had to be, not because I wanted to be," Rin whispered, looking at her hands where they rested on her thighs. "I had given up any hope of escaping my fate. I was resigned; it was my duty. I had to try and see that my daughter was safe if she lived. I had abandoned her once I could not do so again."

Chihiro opened her mouth to say that being fooled into thinking your child was dead did not count as abandoning your offspring; but she closed it again. Rin did not want to hear her opinion right now, she was sure.

"He was only rough with me when he thought I might refuse to be his mate." Rin indicated to the bruised wrist that Chihiro had noticed earlier. "After I had agreed, he was gentle with me. I knew I would be well treated after the bonding and that he would be more stable once the separation symptoms had eased. Even if I could not love him, I knew I would not be miserable either." Rin sighed again. "I almost wish I had remained ignorant. I would not have acted in anger if I had remained oblivious." Rin moistened her lips, then glanced at Chihiro again, as if checking her reaction. Chihiro deliberately kept her expression neutral."When the lion spirits told me Tori lived I was thrilled. However, when I learned of her location, I fell into a rage." She glared at Chihiro as if daring her to question her right to be angry. "He had effectively bartered my daughter away to his allies. She was practically given as a hostage so our allies had insurance that Hikaru would never renege on his trade agreements with them." Rin's hands clenched on her thighs. "I could not forgive him for that." She fell silent, looking at her legs again. Chihiro did not know what to say. It was as she had feared. She had an image in her mind of Rin attacking her betrothed with some sort of gruesome weapon, enraged beyond reason just like she had been when she had attacked Haku all those months ago. But surely she would not be alive now if she had taken Hikaru on physically? He was a formidable opponent, even for Rin. She was a skilled fighter but not blessed with great magical ability; Hikaru was a member of the spirit nobility who had lived many centuries. How had Rin bested him? Had she even disposed of him? The childish part of Chihiro still hoped she had driven Hikaru away rather than killed him.

Suddenly, she noticed that Rin was fidgeting beside her. She turned to see that her sister was rummaging around behind the sash that was tied around her waist. She pulled at something, grasping it in her fist. She took Chihiro's right hand and pressed something that rustled into her grasp. When Chihiro opened her hand, she realised that Rin had anticipated her questions yet again. In Chihiro's palm rested a polythene bag. It was empty, not a single trace was left of its contents. Realisation hit her; Rin had poisoned Hikaru using the orchid flowers Chihiro's mother had given her. She must have left the bag behind when Rin had given her new clothes. Rin was staring at Chihiro, her eyes hard.

"I added it to his food. I gave him enough so that he did not suffer. I wanted justice, not revenge. He fell asleep and didn't wake up."

Chihiro let the bag fall from her fingers. She felt numb. She could certainly see why Rin had felt she needed to kill Hikaru; she understood her actions, but she could not condone what Rin had done. However, Rin was and always would be her dearly beloved sister. Chihiro moved forward and pulled Rin into her arms. She held her sister for some time. There were no tears from either of them. They simply offered each other their silent support. Neither of them heard Linca leave Scott's room, but they both felt her surprisingly strong little arms lock around them. They eventually all moved apart, still dry eyed.

"I am sorry," whispered Rin. "I can't go with you any further."

"We know," murmured Linca. "There is nothing to fret about. The prophecy predicted this much. We all knew that some of us would not see the end of this quest."

Chihiro smiled weakly. "I am just glad that we are all alive. The words in that prophecy made me think that perhaps..." she trailed off, not wanting to go any further. She thought she might break the strange spell of serenity that they had woven between them if she mentioned her fears now.

Rin nodded in agreement. "You still have the flying cloak; you will both travel faster now, even with Chihiro only being able to fly by day." Chihiro nodded, it was true. No one would have to ride the Nygel now. Unburdened, the water horse could travel at a gallop for hours. With Linca and herself on the wing they could easily double the distance they had been travelling daily so far. "I will make sure you are well supplied. You are over halfway to the Glass Desert; two weeks of flying by day and you should be there."

Chihiro felt a flutter of nervousness in her stomach. She was closer than she had thought to her destination.

"Do not be afraid to end him if you get the chance," whispered Rin harshly.

"I will think about it," whispered Chihiro, glancing at Linca briefly. "I will think about it, but I don't think assassination is part of my mission. I am not a trained warrior or fighter." Rin smiled at her.

"That's one of the reasons we love you, Sen. Your optimism and your sweet nature make us all wish to be better people." Chihiro blushed at the praise. Rin's hand fell on her shoulder. "It is also one of the reasons Haku loves you too." She squeezed Chihiro's shoulder. "Get our brother back; make us a family again." Chihiro smiled at Rin warmly, her earlier moral dilemmas quite forgotten.

"I will," she said resolutely. "I swear by my life, I will."

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**Well that is it for the Rin arc. There is a debate on the forum going as to whether I should get Rin and Scott coupled up. Come; vote on the poll, I'm interested in your opinions though it will probably not change my actual plotline ;-) Link to the forum is on my profile. Thanks to Dimac and the forum babes for betaing this! That's it for the Rin arc folks. Haku will be popping up in the next chap, as will Kenshin. **


	41. Doubt and Trust

_**Doubt and Trust**_

Haku was sucked back into consciousness. He struggled to sit upright, his chains jangling, as if they were trying to mock him. He sighed and rested his spinning head against the wall.

He smiled.

The facial gesture felt odd to him; he had not smiled for months. But today he had something to smile about... He had finally managed to unpick a fibre in the weave of Kenshin's spell. He had fainted from pulling at it so hard, but it was done. He closed his eyes and examined the barrier between him and his power. There was the smallest gap, and through it he could feel it; his power was starting to trickle into him ever so slowly. Haku almost felt dizzy. He felt as if he had been holding his breath all this time and was finally breathing through the smallest of hollow reeds. It was sweet, heady, and made his heart pound. How he had missed the elation that using his own power brought to him.

But his task was far from over. He was considerably weakened as his power was still being pulled from him, and he now barely had access to the tiniest proportion of what was left. But it would aid him in teasing out the next thread of the barrier. He estimated that his task would now take him weeks rather than months.

He grinned wolfishly. Yes, today was a good day; he was one step closer to seeing his little one again. He longed to hold her in his arms and breathe in her scent. He wondered if her scent had changed since she had got with child. Many pregnant spirit females would emit scents that made their mates more attentive and protective.

Suddenly, anger flashed through him and his eyes snapped open. He should be with her! He was her mate! He should be caring for her at this time and using his own power to ease her pregnancy symptoms. Instead, he was rotting in an arid cell, too powerless to remove a barrier that, under normal circumstances, would have been child's play to deal with.

He growled and bared the teeth that had now fully grown back in. Kenshin would pay dearly for taking this time from him, for taking Haku's duty and responsibilities from him. But there was also a nagging fear fuelling his anger. As thrilled as Haku was to be having a child with his mate, he was frightened; the whole prospect of fatherhood was daunting. He needed his mate to tell him what to expect and ease his fears, but she was far from him. He was a bonded spirit and his kind rarely raised their own children. There was no call for it; their offspring were perfectly capable of fending for themselves. But his child, his little daughter, would be different; she would be half human. She would be small and defenceless, needing round-the-clock care. Haku did not know how he would fare as a father. It was all so new to him! The idea that the tiny being that his mate would give birth to would be utterly dependent on him and Chihiro frightened him senseless. What if he hurt his child by accident? What if he could not provide everything it needed? He had seen human children before, of course, and non-bonded spirit children were similar in their dependence on their parents, though less prone to sickness and less demanding than human ones. He should be learning all he could from Chihiro at this time, and he should be preparing a nest for the child, too.

Haku shook his head. No, that was not right. Chihiro was human; she would have no instinct to nest. At least, he _thought_ she would not... Haku's ignorance disgusted him. But he had thought breeding would be a few years ahead of him and Chihiro. He had not meant to remain ignorant, but there had been so little time to discuss such things. Between his river and the Bathhouse, Haku had barely seen Chihiro during the hours of daylight. That would change. He did not just have a mate to consider now; he had a family. He needed to compensate for this time he had been away from them, and he needed to arrange to have more time to spend with them when he returned.

Meeka or Zeniba were probably running the Bathhouse in his absence. He was sure Meeka would be more than capable to act as a manager, though she lacked confidence in her abilities. Perhaps, if she was running things, then having a taste of leadership might have changed her attitude somewhat. Having a manager would suit Haku perfectly; he could delegate half his workload to her, just as he had once done with Yubaba.

None of these grand ideas would come to pass without him freeing himself, however. He closed his eyes and sighed, then selected the next thread he would begin to pull at.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yubaba huddled over her squat little cauldron. It really was a cliché, she reflected, a witch with a cauldron, but it was the best tool for brewing potions. She added some tincture of fire Lotus and smiled at the pleasant smell. Behind her, Kenshin lay on a futon. She had found him collapsed in the main corridor, shadow spirits floating around him, trying to rouse him. She ordered them to take him to her rooms. The air spirit's face was pale and drawn. He had lost weight, also. Yubaba could not remember when she had last seen him eat.

She frowned into her green coloured brew. She still could not fathom why he was putting himself through all this. He had told her he thought the worlds were broken.

_"The worlds were never meant to be this __way,"_ she remembered him telling her when he first explained his plan to her. "_In this world, spirit kind is getting weaker. We have lost our influence over the human world. We have paid for __our __arrogance. Humankind__ has grown __strong; they__ no longer fear the natural __world. They__ have tamed it. In taming __it, they__ have harmed and enfeebled __us, something__ we never thought to be possible a mere few thousand years ago."_

_"Humans will fall as quickly as they have risen,"_ Yubaba had scoffed. _"They will either kill each __other, or__ degrade the land so much it will no longer feed them."_

_"And what will happen to us if they do degrade their world to the point of starvation?"_ He had sat back and given her a flat look with his grey eyes. _"I doubt there will be many of us left to dance on the grave of humankind."_

It was at that point that Yubaba realised Kenshin's cause could greatly benefit her. He wanted to save spirit kind. That meant he was saving her business. No point having a Bathhouse if all the customers were dead.

Yubaba sighed. She had deep reservations about reuniting the worlds; many would die on both sides. Then again, both races would survive and possibly prosper in the future...

"Yubaba?" queried a voice. Yubaba turned to find her patient awake and a pair of very lucid, grey eyes regarding her questioningly. "Why am I in your rooms?"

"You collapsed," murmured the witch, returning to her brew.

"And you cared for me?" he asked with a surprised chuckle. "How unusually maternal of you."

"I am a mother," she spat at her cauldron.

"Yes, I forgot... your child, the one who has refused to age for two centuries. I heard he is now in the care of your twin," said Kenshin with a sigh. Yubaba knew he was just stating facts; the air spirit did not revel in others misfortune. It still angered her, however, that he could talk about her misfortunes with no hint of sympathy or empathy. It was not her fault Bou liked being a child. As his mother, she had tried to give him everything, but running the Bathhouse had taken most of her time. She had to be financially independent for his sake. His father had never even come to see him! She was responsible for none of her sad fate. Even her cursed crone-like appearance was not her fault. The blame for that lay entirely with Kenshin's bitch of a mother... Yes, vengeance against the old ones was a wonderful bonus to have.

Kenshin sighed again. Yubaba added some bitter sheep's sorrel to her mixture, just to pay the spirit back for his comment about her son. She doused the flame under her cauldron and spooned the brew into an earthenware bottle. She handed the bottle, a cork, and a spoon to the air spirit.

"Take two doses once it has cooled," she instructed. "Another two before bedtime."

"Anything poppy-based in this one?" he enquired mildly.

"Poppy can't ease your symptoms any more," Yubaba sighed. "Not without addicting you, anyway."

"So what is in this?" he asked, blowing on the top of the bottle to speed up the cooling.

"Mainly fire grass," Yubaba replied with a slightly smug smile. Kenshin's black eyebrows shot up.

"Where did you get this?" he whispered in awe. Yubaba's smile broadened, but she merely shrugged in reply to Kenshin; she could keep some secrets. Fire grass was exceptionally rare and well renowned for being deadly poisonous. However, if prepared in a potion by an expert, the fire grass's poison was nullified. When added to a few other ingredients, the then harmless fire grass took on extraordinary properties. The potion she had given to Kenshin could temporarily increase his magical energy. There was a price to pay, however; it would render the spirit that took it virtually powerless after its effects were allowed to wear off. It could take centuries for a spirit to recover from the side-effects of a fire grass potion. Kenshin no doubt knew this.

"How much of this do you have?" he asked softly.

"Enough to keep you supplied until after your spell is complete," replied the witch. Kenshin looked at the bottle and smiled.

"I'll need it all," he whispered. He then looked up at the witch. "Thank you, Yubaba," he said gently, sounding genuinely grateful. "This will aid me greatly."

Yubaba shrugged but felt a glow of happiness flutter briefly in her stomach at his praise. She squashed the emotion ruthlessly. This was business, not friendship. She had no doubt that if she got in Kenshin's way or ceased to be useful, he would dispose of her without a second thought. She had to be careful. Haku had tried to worm his way under her defences with heartfelt pleas, and Kenshin was doing the same by treating her as a comrade. She had a perfect memory, however; she remembered well that he had struck her. She knew he did not view her as an equal, no matter how he pretended otherwise now.

"Did you perform the viewing I asked?" enquired Kenshin, cutting through her thoughts.

"Yes," replied Yubaba. "She has left the Citadel."

"And the concubine?" he pressed.

"Has remained in the Citadel with the wounded human, as you planned," she replied.

"The human was a bonus. I am glad that I did not have to remove him later on." Kenshin paused and a cold smirk tugged at his lips. "I may not have been as gentle as Hikaru was," he whispered.

Yubaba shivered; it was disconcerting to see Kenshin smile in such a way. That smile showed he clearly had no joy in his life.

"I have to thank you again, Yubaba," he continued, a small chuckle creeping into his voice. "Our ruse succeeded."

Yubaba nodded. At first she had been reluctant to visit Hikaru's Citadel; surely directing Rin there would cause enough problems for Chihiro? But Kenshin had insisted that he wanted the spirit woman parted from Chihiro. That was only possible if Rin could be either killed, injured, or find something more pressing than her sister's quest. Yubaba had, of course, known all of Rin's sad history. She still remembered the day the silent and pale woman had stood in her office, dressed in filthy rags. Rin had prostrated herself before her and begged for a job so she could forget about the murder of her child. It had taken gold as well as begging, but Yubaba had eventually let Rin sign a contract. The change in the woman had been dramatic; a few hours later, she was laughing and joking with the other domestic staff. Yubaba had actually been pleased with herself. She had ended the woman's suffering and saved her from an abusive partner.

Hikaru was soon at her door, but she had sent the snake Lord running back to his Citadel with the aid of a few well-placed fireballs. When she had told Kenshin this, he had quickly hatched a plan to exploit the situation. Yubaba had been sent to observe the Palace. She had discovered that the lion spirits were not willing servants. She had then requested an audience with Hikaru and told him that his lost concubine was being returned to him. The insane spirit had tried to embrace her! He had bowed and thanked her for finally releasing his future mate. Yubaba had wanted to be sick!

It was with relish, that she told the lion spirits that her overlord—not naming Kenshin—had discovered the location of Rin's daughter. It had actually been herself and her crystal ball that had located Tori, but that did not matter... The lion spirits had been much more polite in their thanks and merely bowed. They could now buy their freedom, if Hikaru was disposed of... Yubaba knew that a wronged woman could endure much silently, but a wronged mother, with a few centuries of forgotten hate bubbling under the surface, would be enraged and easy to manipulate once she knew her daughter was alive and safe.

"All this prepared," whispered Kenshin, once again bringing Yubaba back to the present. "With the strongest fighter of the group gone, what is ahead can only fracture the group further."

Yubaba nodded. What lay ahead for the questers was indeed formidable. They would try and save time by taking the most direct route. That would lead them through a wasteland where ancient Earth spirits desired to do nothing but sleep. If they were disturbed, they would retaliate. Their attacks were psychological rather than physical, but just as effective as a knife to the throat.

"She may die," warned Yubaba.

"I'm not that lucky," said Kenshin sarcastically. "She is well protected. I doubt she will suffer more than a headache." The cold smirk returned to his face. "The others may make it also, but they will be in no fit state to travel for a few days. After that, I have specific plans for one little quester that will drive my mother's tool to me, and she will accept any terms I offer her."

Yubaba frowned. She could not figure out why a reputedly brutal spirit would apt for delaying and demoralising tactics, rather than more direct action. The rules said nothing about kidnap! They were just not allowed to strike at Chihiro directly. But Kenshin seemed to be relishing meeting his adversary. Water bull or not, Yubaba thought it was still dangerous to let Chihiro into the fortress.

"You question my methods?" asked Kenshin softly. Yubaba cursed herself; she must learn to keep her expressions neutral.

"You should get rid of her. She should not come here."

"You are correct," said Kenshin. Yubaba was stunned; she had not expected him to agree. "I have fought many campaigns. I know well that the only kind of enemy you can count on is a dead one."

"Then why?" asked the witch softly.

"I have no wish to kill her," he replied in the same tone. He gulped a mouthful of the still hot brew in his hand. Much to Yubaba's disappointment; he did not even wince at the taste.

"But..." Yubaba was interrupted once again.

"I now know what draws me to her," said Kenshin with a sigh. "It took me a while to remember, but now I am certain... My mother is even more underhanded than I suspected." He stood and walked to the door. "She no doubt knew when she met Chihiro that I would be very reluctant to raise a hand against her. Indeed, I have a duty towards her." Kenshin sighed again and opened the door. "My mother bonded Chihiro to this world in order to use her or any of her offspring against me if I ever awoke and got any strange ideas about usurping her." He turned to the witch one last time. "She chose her weapon well, but my mother does not know me. I will not be swayed by this. My goal is everything."

"So, we will continue to slow her down?" whispered Yubaba.

"Yes," he replied, "and drive those who support her away from her. When she finally reaches us, she and any remaining companions, will be unable to resist my will." Kenshin made to leave, but Yubaba called after him.

"Haku will know she is near!" she protested. "She carries child! He will redouble his efforts to escape!" Kenshin stood still, but did not turn to face her.

"If you fear that Dragon's wrath that much, then you should not have agreed to attack him." He paused and Yubaba was sure the chilling smile was back on his face. "If he gets free before the spell is complete, he will be unmerciful. I have no doubt he will tear both you and me to shreds." Yubaba gulped.

"You... you won't protect me?" the witch stammered. "After all I have done for you?"

"I will be unable to," he replied simply. "As I just said, my goal is everything. If the Dragon breaks free, I will donate my life to the spell so that it is completed." Kenshin walked away, letting the desert sunlight stream in through the now empty doorway.

Yubaba swallowed. She was committed to her Bathhouse, but not that committed! She liked the money it generated, and the lifestyle it supported. She could not reclaim it if she was dead. She frowned to herself.

"Perhaps," she thought, "it is time to review the situation."

xxxx

**Thanks to Meiyo and the Velf forum for correcting this. Also to Daishar who created some wonderful Haku fanart to go with this chap. The link to the fanart is, as always, on my profile. I'll lend Haku to whoever can spot the obscure D-gray man reference. **


	42. The Glorified Club

**_The Glorified Club_**

Chihiro tiredly fluttered to the ground after seeing Linca do the same. She landed heavily and changed without being ready. The result was she found herself trapped under her cloak, disorientated and unable to tell which direction was up. She heard the Nygel snort with amusement. The cloak was pulled off her and she looked up to see her equine friend holding her flying cloak in his teeth while desperately trying not to laugh at her.

Chihiro struggled to her knees and took the cloak from the water horse.

"It's all right for you," she snapped. "You don't have to master the art of landing." Indeed, now the Nygel only carried the two packs and had no rider, he was easily keeping pace with the airborne travellers.

Chihiro sighed, she always ached after transforming. She had asked Linca why she insisted that they change back every night.

"You are human, not spirit. If you suspend your true form for too long, then your bones will lose density and your muscles will atrophy. Then, of course, there is the permanent change problem." She frowned at Chihiro. "I told you this a few weeks ago, don't you remember?" Chihiro was ashamed to say she did not. But much had happened since her first flying lesson. Linca had sighed and reiterated the basics and then added in a few more details.

Apparently, transformation cloaks acted as a vehicle for consciousness. The original body was actually stored within another dimension while the consciousness of the cloak's wearer was shifted into another body, also from this strange "storage dimension". In Chihiro's head this place was like a big bin with bodies stacked one on top of the other, periodically winking in and out of existence. No wonder she ached! She could have had a hundred people stacked on top of her and not felt it until her body was returned to her. She was also slightly worried about abandoning her pregnant body all day, but her dove form was also pregnant so her daughter must be transported with her.

Perhaps, changing back every day was a good idea or she may end up laying an egg in 11 months time. That would probably not daunt Haku, but she would certainly be disturbed! She wondered how her captured mate was coping with the knowledge of his impending fatherhood. She guessed she would probably have to educate him a little about human children and he would have to educate her about spirit children. She had also not told her parents that they were about to be grandparents. She rubbed her arms while deep in thought. The marks beneath her clothing throbbed. The lightning bolts on her skin had not faded since they had appeared. Chihiro wished she had asked if Rin's mark had vanished after she had killed Hikaru. She did not like the idea of possibly being branded like this for life.

"Are you going to kneel in the mud all day?" asked Linca sharply. "That will hardly be good for 'the bump'," said the Sprite with a smirk. Linca held out her hand to her poor human sister. Chihiro smiled gratefully and used Linca's hand to pull herself up. They had camp set up in under thirty minutes. Chihiro missed the goddess's luxury tents, but at least her canvass one only took ten minutes to erect.

They were all sat before the campfire as the sun set. Linca was roasting some rabbits and there was rice cooking in an iron pot suspended over the flames. The Nygel had found some wild garlic in the woodland. At least their simple meal would have a little more flavour for one night. They ate hungrily. Chihiro's stomach seemed to be over the worst of her sickness. Obviously, her body had finally accepted it was pregnant and decided to stop punishing her for being so inconsiderate towards it. She had after all effectively allowed a parasite house room in her womb.

She sighed again and rubbed her stomach. The birth may be months away but she was still very apprehensive. Even if her birth was completely normal, she was haunted by the fact that she knew she would be in incredible pain. Unwanted flashbacks to science fiction anime and films such as _Alien_ did little to ease her mind. There were so many things that could go wrong with even a normal pregnancy; and hers was far from normal!

Linca picked rabbit out of her perfectly white teeth. Chihiro winced. The Sprite's manners could certainly do with a little more polish. Haku had told her that Linca had been much worse when she first arrived at the Bathhouse. She would traipse around the halls and corridors in her outdoor shoes and bathe while dirty, as well as eating with her fingers. Rin had just about been at her wits end trying to educate the foreign spirit in the culture and traditions of the domain she was now in. Linca's loose morals had also made her many enemies among the Bathhouse females. That was why Haku had chosen her to go to the human world for him to find out what had become of the human child who haunted his dreams.

Linca was now digging into her pack; she extracted a cylindrical map case. Chihiro raised an eyebrow; navigation would be so much easier with a GPS or sat nav. Linca spread out her map and ran a blue-skinned finger over it.

"We are getting close," she commented to herself. "If we continue to move south-east, it will start getting drier. These woods will become planes, then scrubland, then desert."

"Fantastic," snorted the Nygel. He rolled onto his flank and flicked his tail irritably.

"Will that affect you?" asked Chihiro, concerned.

"I will be fine, mistress. It will just be uncomfortable," he whinnied.

"Mmmm," said Linca, having not listened. "We will have to go through the valley of winds. That may slow us down, but to go around it would take days longer. There are warnings all over this map about the wind there. Many spirits have been lost travelling through it. We should play it safe and walk, flying for an amateur like you Chi would be dangerous in high wind." Chihiro nodded in agreement, not at all offended at the criticism of her flying skills.

"I can carry you, mistress," the Nygel offered. Chihiro smiled at him.

"That's kind of you," she whispered, "but I would rather you carry..."

"After the valley there is little habitation," continued Linca, cutting Chihiro's words off. "No settlements of any size. We might still meet the odd group of nomads but I doubt it." Linca's white eyes glanced at Chihiro briefly. "The stink of Dragon magic on you drives most prudent lower spirits into hiding. Can't really blame them; in their position I'd do the same. Bonded spirits will probably continue to ignore us; we will probably be all alone for the rest of this trip." Linca rolled up the map. "The last stage of our journey should be relatively smooth," the Sprite announced. But it was Chihiro's turn not to listen. She was looking above Linca at something crossing the sunset painted sky. The Nygel whinnied in surprise and struggled to his hooves.

"What is that?" he exclaimed, shuffling sideways nervously. "I have never seen a bird that fast."

"It's not a bird," said Linca in a hushed tone. Chihiro's heart grew cold. All those people!

Linca pursed her lips and shook her head at the white and silver dot in the sky. The trio watched the passenger jet as it cruised obliviously on over a mile above them.

"They probably don't even realise they are not where they should be yet," Linca whispered. The words were hardly out of her mouth when the jet began to slowly turn, creating a wide hairpin shape in its vapour trails.

"There are humans on that thing?" asked the Nygel.

"Lots of them," whispered Chihiro

"Unless they find the fissure they came through, they will vanish," murmured Linca.

They watched the jet circle aimlessly for a few minutes. Then the small white dot disappeared, leaving only its vapour trails behind.

"Did they go back?" asked Chihiro softly.

"I hope so," whispered Linca. But they both knew that it was unlikely. "We have to hurry," said Linca. "This is utter madness!" Chihiro nodded, agreeing. Unlike Linca, however, she could not fly at night, and she needed to rest, though she knew she would probably get little sleep that night.

xxxxxxxx

The valley of wind turned out to be a steep-sided, trough-shaped valley that looked like it had been bulldozed out of the living rock. Its wide, flat bottom was covered in rounded stones and pebbles. There was no vegetation to speak of, just the odd smear of green slime on the stones that Chihiro thought was algae. The sheer grey rock slopes of the valley sides looked as if they had been savaged by a giant cat's claws. Lumps of rock had been ripped from them to shatter on the valley floor. It did not appear natural to Chihiro. A small river flowed down the centre of the valley, barely deep enough to get their feet wet and narrow enough to be jumped over.

"I think we can safely say that this river did not make this valley," muttered Linca. A few loose stones clattered under the Nygel's hooves. He was having difficulty finding sure footing on the stony ground. Chihiro was glad she only had two legs to worry about.

"Where is the wind?" asked Chihiro. The air was still in the valley, not even a breeze ruffled her hair. The Tac'Tal at her throat was warm against her skin, warning her that there was a danger she could not see. She almost considered turning back, but the image of the jet would not leave her mind. She had wasted enough time. This was the quickest way. They had to push on.

"I don't understand," murmured Linca. "There were warnings all over this part of the map about the wind."

"Maybe we were lucky and got here on a calm day," whinnied the Nygel.

"Don't be stupid," snapped Linca. "Why would it be called the valley of winds, if it didn't have any wind?" Chihiro sighed and rolled her eyes. Without Rin and Scott the cracks were starting to show in the group. Linca and the water horse seemed to look for any excuse to irritate each other, and Chihiro did not have Scot's patience or Rin's ability to quell arguments with a stern look. She did have her own ways of dealing with the arguments however. One was yelling at them, which while effective would put her in a bad mood. The other was walking away. She opted for the latter. She carefully picked her way over the loose pebbles and waited for the bickering behind her to stop. To her surprise, she was almost out of sight around the bend in the valley before the raised voices quietened and there was the sound of feet and hooves behind her. A hand fell on her shoulder and yanked her around to face a very irate land spirit.

"I said wait, dammit!" Linca growled, her eyes narrowing. "Don't just wonder off like that. It's dangerous!"

"Sorry," Chihiro said mildly. She turned to continue, but the hand tightened on the shoulder.

"Don't walk away from me!" ground out Linca between clenched teeth. Chihiro was shocked to see Linca's eyes were beginning to swirl with black. It almost looked like a drop of ink had been placed in milk. Chihiro knew the dark colour would continue bleeding into the white and eventually turn Linca's eyes completely black, unless the Sprite calmed down. Chihiro frowned. Why was Linca so angry? But Linca was not the only one acting strangely.

"How dare you manhandle my mistress!" screamed the Nygel. He nipped at Linca's hand so she had to let go of Chihiro. The Sprite snatched her hand away with a curse. "You are not even fit to walk in her shadow!" neighed the Nygel. His ears were laid flat on his head. "She is the mate of a Dragon. You should be bowing at her feet and obeying her every whim." Linca sneered at the water horse.

"And what would a flea-bitten nag like you know of high society?" she hissed. "Go back to the slime covered pool you came from and stop bothering my sister and her mate. You have intruded on their kindness long enough."

"As have you!" shouted the pony. "If it was not for master Haku's kindness, you would still be one of the lost!"

"QUIET!" Chihiro screamed. The land spirit and the Nygel turned to stare at her. "Both of you are no better than children! We do not have time for this!"

"Of course not!" said Linca, throwing her hands up. "Because nothing is more important than your mission!" Chihiro was taken aback. Linca had never tried to turn on her in one of these arguments before. "In fact, nothing is more important than what you want to do," she sneered, hands on her hips. "If you had not been in such a hurry to see your Mother, Haku would not have been taken!"

"Stop it," Chihiro hissed, already feeling the effects of Linca's verbal barbs.

"It's all your own fault!" Linca shouted. "And yet you dare to play the wounded martyr and expect everyone to feel sorry for you!"

"Linca!" Chihiro exclaimed.

"Shut up!" the Sprite growled. Then she winced and grabbed her head. "Shut up, just shut up," she growled to herself.

There was a screaming whinny and the Nygel's legs buckled. Chihiro rushed to him.

"My head!" he screeched, Chihiro tried to examine his head, thinking an injury was responsible for his pain, but hard hooves flailed at her, keeping her back. "Don't touch me!" the Nygel squealed, now foaming at the mouth. "Filthy human!" The Nygel's eyes rolled back in his head and his body began to shake and tremble. All Chihiro could do was watch as the water horse convulsed briefly, then fell into unconsciousness.

"Weak nag," said a voice that was very close behind her. Chihiro whirled around to find Linca behind her. The Sprite's eyes were completely black.

_"This can't be good,"_ thought Chihiro. The Tac'Tal at her throat was nearly burning her it was so hot. She smiled nervously at her sister. "Linca," she said as calmly as she could, but her hand shook with nervous energy. "What is going on?"

"Like I know!" snapped the Sprite. Chihiro swallowed, and tried again.

"Why are you angry?"

Linca snorted tossed her head and threw her arms wide.

"You stupid human!" she laughed unkindly. "Can't you hear it?" Chihiro frowned to herself. Now Linca mentioned it, she could hear something. There was a high-pitched whine on the breeze, similar to the noise mosquito would make. It was irritating, but hardly worth losing her temper over. Then again, the breeze had not been there a moment before. Could it be part of a malicious spell? Perhaps her dull human hearing was not sensitive enough to pick up the noise that had caused the water horse to black out and put Linca in the worst temper Chihiro had ever seen her in. Bonding to Haku had improved her human senses, but they were still nowhere near as sharp as the average spirit's.

Looking at Linca's flushed face and inky black eyes, Chihiro felt like she should be backing away from her. However, she guessed that if she did that then she may provoke Linca further. Chihiro oddly found herself relaxing slightly. Rin's sharp commands that she had heard so many times during her lessons were suddenly running through her head.

_"Bend your knees! If I see them locked __again, I'll__ kick you in the shins!"_

_"How many times do I have to tell you to stay on the balls of your feet?"_

_"Watch your opponent's body, not the face!"_

_"Idiot! Keep your arms and shoulders relaxed until you know what your enemy is going to do!"_

"_Attack __first, then__ run and hide! You are human and do not have the luxury of pride. Your best weapons are surprise and ingenuity. If __you're__attacked, your__ priority is to survive, not win!" _

Chihiro moistened her lips. There was such an aura of malice surrounding Linca that she felt almost certain she would get aggressive. Whether the aggression would be directed against her she was not sure.

"I only have a slight headache," said Chihiro softly. "The noise does not bother me."

"Of course it doesn't," drawled Linca sarcastically. "Little Princess Chi, wrapped in her little bubble of protective spells. Nothing could ever hurt her!" Suddenly, the Sprite blurred in Chihiro vision. The next thing she knew was that Linca was behind her again. The Sprite's arms locked around her waist in what would have appeared to be a sisterly hug if it had not been so tight. She felt Linca's warm breath on her ear.

"The wind whispers to me," said the Sprite softly. "It tells me true things, things that I never even admit to myself. After all, you are my precious sister. I don't let myself think these things about you." The Sprite tightened her grip. Chihiro thought for one panicked moment that she meant to hurt her baby. But then grip slackened slightly.

"Poor little Chihiro…" Linca whispered softly, "who grew up in a stable home, with loving parents. She accidentally got lost in the spirit world, but even then she managed to charm people into taking care of her. She was returned home safely, but that was not enough for her. She wanted it all, home, family, and a beautiful Dragon. She found someone soft-hearted enough to take her back to the spirit world..." Linca chuckled bitterly to herself. "She abandoned her parents, leaving them to worry and weep in her absence while she threw herself into the arms of her Dragon."

"It wasn't like that!" Chihiro protested, but the arms around her tightened, warning her to be silent.

"But it all turned out alright in the end," Linca sighed. "You ploughed your own furrow and took everything that you thought you deserved. Even your parents forgave you because they always tried to do anything that they thought would make you happy. That included giving you up." Chihiro was finding it difficult to breathe.

"Linca!" she gasped. "Please!"

"Why do you get everything?" snapped the Sprite. "Why you? What makes you so special?"

"I don't..." Chihiro tried, but Linca cut her off.

"You have everything you could want!" she shouted, making Chihiro wince. "You walked around in a daze of your own self-absorption, not thinking how those of us who have nothing may feel!"

"What?" whispered Chihiro. Had she really been that inconsiderate? She did not think so.

"Exactly!" screamed the Sprite. "You never noticed how I was feeling!" Linca shoved Chihiro away from her. Chihiro stumbled on the loose stones and fell. She instinctively turned mid fall so she fell on her left arm and hip, rather than her front. The fall jarred the breath from her. Chihiro lay on the ground panting, trying to get her breath back. She made no effort to rise. Her backpack had burst open, and pots, pans, and food supplies had spilled out above her head. She made no move to gather them, she stayed still. Her mind whirred; what should she do? If Linca really did turn against her, then she could quite possibly kill her. Rin's lessons had improved Chihiro strength and agility, but she was under no illusions who would win if it came to a fight.

"I was happy for you!" Linca screamed. "But day after day you shoved your great love in everyone's faces. I was not the only one who got sick of it!"

Slowly, and idea formed Chihiro's mind. She tilted her head upwards and glanced at the spilled contents of her pack. She felt a slight tremor of anxiety as she realised what she was looking for was not there. She moistened her lips and carefully reached behind her head and felt for what she wanted.

"You never once thought to ask how I felt," hissed the Sprite. "You had no idea that seeing you with him was like stabbing me in the heart. I whored myself from man to man to try and kill that feeling. It was the only thing that helped! But it would not go away; no matter how many men declared love for me, none of them would look at me the way he looked at you!"

Chihiro paused, what exactly was Linca jealous of? The time she spent with Haku? Or was it her actual relationship with the Dragon? Did Linca have feelings for Haku?

"I lost everything!" Linca screamed at the sky. "But you had a loving and safe family home and you still were not satisfied!" The Sprite advanced on the fallen human. Chihiro reached behind her even further, her shoulder complained painfully at being pulled so far back. Her hand fell on a pot handle. If she wanted Linca to die of laughter it might work as a weapon, but she had hoped for something a little more frightening.

"But you are paying for your greed now," whispered Linca softly. "Your mate is gone; you are pregnant and vulnerable without him." Linca smiled. It was not a pleasant smile; it was practically radiating malevolence. "You've got what you deserve and yet you have the arrogance to try and change your fate. How human of you!" she laughed. "If you were spirit, you would have accepted your mistakes and learned from them." Linca loomed over her, hands again on hips. "But in the end I guess that's all you are. You're just a grasping, scheming little slut who thinks far too highly of herself." Linca bent towards her, extending a hand. "Someone needs to teach you a lesson in humility..."

Fearing the worst, Chihiro desperately made a grab for the only thing she could reach, the pot handle. As she brought it over her shoulder, she realised her mistake, but she could not stop herself. Her momentum carried the sword forward to come slamming down, hilt first, on the crown of Linca's head. The blade seemed to quiver triumphantly as it struck the spirit's skull. Linca's eyes widened and she staggered back.

Chihiro struggled to sit up, still holding the odd sword clumsily. Linca's legs gave way. She knelt on the rock-strewn ground. She blinked twice, slowly.

"Oww," said the Sprite softly. A trickle of dark blue blood began to dribble down her forehead. Chihiro felt like she would faint from relief as Linca's eyes cleared, turning from black to charcoal grey, then to white. Linca touched the blood on her forehead.

"What was I doing?" she whispered, she looked back at Chihiro who was still pointing a sword at her. "I... I was so angry," she whispered. Chihiro's heart sank as Linca's eyes began to swirl with black once again. "You hit me, you bitch!" she spat, trying to struggle to her feet only to have her legs give way again.

Chihiro wanted to scream in frustration. Clearly the blow to the head only had temporary effects. The sword vibrated in her hand and a very calm, masculine voice spoke directly into her mind.

_"She listens to the wind,"_ the sword said. _"Stop her listening and the spell will lose its power."_ Chihiro did not need to be told twice. She jumped to her feet and launched herself at her sister. Linca yelled in fright. Chihiro could not blame her; she was being pounced on by a sword wielding human whom she had been threatening only moments before.

Chihiro grabbed her sister by the throat, using her weight to force her back. She pinned Linca's hips and hands between her legs, remembering how effective this technique had been for Haku to keep her pinned to the floor when he was in a playful mood and wanted to mercilessly tickle her. She could never wriggle away from him, just like Linca could not get away from her now. The Sprite cursed and tried to roll sideways, but Chihiro squeezed her knees together holding her in place.

She thanked the universe at large that she had given the Sprite concussion, or she might be immolated by now. She loosened her grip on the spirit's neck and gritted her teeth. Chihiro reminded herself that this was for Linca's own good as well as her own. She had to be cruel to be kind. Linca would not stand to be held down like this for much longer. Chihiro grabbed a handful of silky white hair, pulled Linca's head roughly forward, then smashed the spirit's head back onto the rocks behind her. Linca cried out in pain and her eyes rolled, moving immediately back to white. Chihiro let go of her and then stuck her fingers into the spirit's ears.

Linca groaned her head lolling to one side. Chihiro had to tell herself that Linca was a pure-blooded spirit. A few blows to the skull would not cause permanent damage. But guilt and shame still clawed at her insides. She was hurting someone she loved dearly.

"Chi?" said the Sprite, her eyes flickering open again. Chihiro leant forward and shouted at her sister.

"There is a spell on the wind! It's making you crazy!"

Linca nodded slowly and groaned again. Her hands covered Chihiro's.

"I'll... do this," she murmured. Chihiro removed her hands and Linca put her own fingers in her ears.

Chihiro got up, and almost tripped over her discarded sword. She picked it up. She was sure it had been in its scabbard in her pack.

_"If you are going to keep __me, then__ you should not be putting me with your cooking __utensils. I__ am not a knife,"_ said the sword imperiously. Chihiro nearly dropped the blade. Haku's sword had never actually spoken to her; she got feelings and emotions from her mate's blade, but they were nothing more than impressions really. This new sword Scott had made by sacrificing his really had a voice.

_"I suggest you do something about the pony while he is asleep_," the sword gently reminded her. Chihiro nodded and rested the blade on her pack, she then decided against that and picked the blade back up. Her pack had sagged under the weight of the sword. She inspected it with her free hand. Her pack was empty except for the sword's saya... Its entire contents had been stolen.

"_Trows,"_ said the sword. _"They were busily robbing you while __your__ insane sister held your attention. They probably rob everyone caught up in the spell."_ Chihiro realised that in having lost half their supplies they did not have enough food to feed them for the entire journey.

_"__Prioritise, my__ dear,"_ said the sword condescendingly. Chihiro dropped her pack; the sword was right. She had to help Snaffu first.

She then had a flash of inspiration and a moment later she had a long strip of canvas in her hands that had once been part of her pack. She slipped the sword into its saya and used some of the canvas as a belt to tie the sword to her middle. She wrapped the rest of the canvas around the Nygel's head, passing the material several times under his jaw and over the top of his head to bind his ears and hopefully muffled the sound on the wind. Linca wobbled unsteadily to her feet and used one of the straps of Chihiro's pack to bind around her own ears.

"That's better," the Sprite sighed, then promptly sat down again.

They sat in an awkward silence, waiting for the water horse to wake up. Chihiro found her fingertips brushing the hilt of the sword at her side, just so she could have someone to talk to.

_"You were very __quiet until__ now,"_ she thought at the sword silently.

_"I was deciding if you were my owner not,"_ said the sword blandly. _"I may be a sword but my cooperation makes a great deal of difference. My full potential is only released if I decide that person using me is worthy of me."_

Chihiro wanted to laugh. Though the sword was ridiculously pompous. It was a pleasant change from Haku's psychotic one.

_"So... you decided?"_ Chihiro asked.

_"I decided you were no warrior and if I ever let you wield __me, I__ will become nothing more than a glorified club,"_ the sword snapped. "_However, as you need all the help you can __get, I__ will remain with you until I feel my true owner arrives."_

_"I'm taking you to him,"_ said Chihiro softly.

_"I have occasionally overheard your __plans. You__ are going to your mate,"_ said the sword flatly. _"I am not intended to be used by a weak and feeble..."_

_"If you were listening properly,"_ Chihiro interrupted, _"you__ would know that my mate is a Dragon." _The sword was very quiet for a moment, as if thinking.

_"I will remain with you until you find the Dragon,"_ it said finally. Chihiro could not resist teasing the impertinent sentient blade a little.

_"You may find that he thinks you are not worthy of him,"_ she said sweetly then let go of the hilt so the sword could not reply.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

__

**_Thanks to Meiyo-chan and the forum for their help with this. Good anger wins the prize of borrowing Haku, I'll send him over ASAP. There has been HEAPS of fan art for my other story recently. If you like FMA at all go and have a look. The link is, as always, on my profile. _**

* * *


	43. 342 Years of Solitude

**342 Years of Solitude**

The Nygel recovered and they plodded silently through the valley. It took them until sundown to traverse the cursed valley and they hardly spoke to each other. Conversation was not easy anyway, as two of the group members were practically deaf and had to be shouted at for them to understand what Chihiro was saying. But that was not the only reason for the oppressive silence. Chihiro guessed that on some level they all felt guilty. Things that had been said and done would be very hard to put behind them. Even if none of them were at fault.

Chihiro had never known there was so much bitterness in her sister, or that the animosity between her and the Nygel was more serious then she had first thought. They had both been trying their best to get along with each other under very difficult circumstances, and Chihiro felt ashamed she had not realised how much of an effort they were making. She had simply yelled at them when they had failed to act as she deemed fit. She had been naive; Linca was a land spirit and the Nygel was a water spirit. They were even opposite on an elemental level; the gulf between them was vast.

Then there was her own reaction to Linca's threatening behaviour. She would have never, ever guessed she could harm someone she loved. Oh, she had threatened to bash heads together often enough... but she had actually assaulted her own sister. She even made her bleed!

"Don't feel too bad, girl," said the calm, crisp tones of the sword. Chihiro had not realised her fingers had found its hilt again. "You did what you had to." Chihiro knew the obnoxious sword was right, but it did not make her feel better.

They left the valley and entered a vast plain of dry cracked ground studied with twisted shrubs and bushes. It was noticeably warmer here, but Chihiro guessed the temperature would plummet once the sun set. Bright orange stones and boulders littered the landscape and almost glowed under the last few rays of the sun as it rushed towards the horizon. Linca took off her improvised ear defenders and sighed.

"We must make camp quickly," she said in an emotionless voice. She moved to the Nygel and unwrapped the canvas that bound his equine ears.

"Could you find some food and water?" she asked, again in the same listless tone. "We have to stretch our remaining provisions as far as possible." The Nygel nickered in assent and cantered away.

Chihiro helped Linca pitch the camp. They would have to share the remaining tent. Soon they had a small fire burning and the Nygel had returned with full water skins and a couple of decapitated hares. Not even the smell of roasting meat could make Chihiro rouse herself from her introspection. The Nygel was exhausted and flopped down next to the fire. He was soon fast asleep.

"I am sorry, Chi," said Linca in a small voice. Chihiro sat bolt upright, startled out of her thoughts. Linca had silently sat beside her and they were now both filling the entrance to the tent. Linca's eyes were fixed on the fire.

"It's all right," said Chihiro with a smile she hoped was reassuring. "It was a nasty spell and I..."

"It was not just the spell," said Linca softly. "Those things I said... they were real." The Sprite drew her knees up and rested her chin on them. "I had locked all those mean thoughts I had about you away, but they were still my own." She sighed heavily. Her breath misted slightly; it was getting colder. "I am envious of your happiness," she murmured. Chihiro did not really want to listen to what had motivated Linca to be so abusive, but she found herself intrigued despite her misgivings.

"Why?" she asked simply, also resting her chin on her knees and staring into the fire.

"Because, you have what I have lost," Linca replied quietly.

Chihiro listened intently as Linca began to tell her tale; she knew that this would not be a pleasant story.

"I was quite happy as a land spirit," said Linca with a fond smile. "My bond place was a lovely bit of floodplain next to a slow flowing river. The entire area used to be forest and I had plenty of company from the water and woodland spirits that shared the area with me. It was idyllic, but it all changed."

"Humans?" asked Chihiro. Linca nodded.

"Not in the way you might think," she said quickly. "A small family came, parents and a few brats. They settled and started cutting down trees. The woodland creatures fled. The water spirits and I were furious at first. We made conditions as unfavourable as we could for our squatters. We extended the wintry weather long into spring. The river moved all its fish downstream. I killed anything the humans planted that was not a tree."

Chihiro shifted uncomfortably. The ancient farmers that Linca spoke of had probably perished.

"Then they came to the riverbank with an offering, apologising for angering us. I could tell they were on the verge of starving to death. They prayed to the water and they prayed to the land and told us they had no other place to go... then they offered us their firstborn son as a sacrifice to appease us."

"What!" squeaked Chihiro.

"Boris, the river god, was all for drowning the sacrifice. They had just left the child, bound and gagged on the riverbank. Being a sacrifice was obviously not his idea!"

"What did you do?" asked Chihiro.

"I took the whelp under my wing," said Linca with a smirk. "He was only around ten winters old. If I had sent him home, his family may have thought that I had rejected him and then try something even more extreme. He was in total awe of me at first, always bowing and scraping. I gave him random tasks to do—dig a hole, fill it in, etc. Watching him perform my whims amused me."

Linca shrugged.

"I was mean to him. I was still angry with his people. But gradually I began to see him as more than just a pet. He was a person. As soon as I had comprehended that my attitude changed. I let the humans farm my land and their crops flourished. Little Petr was a cheerful and bright boy. He loved to listen to me tell him stories of ancient times before humans. He became my servant. He would work in my garden, cook my meals and even accompany me to the local baths when I needed to replenish my power." Linca smiled to herself. "Being farmed is very draining, especially around harvest time.

"Seasons came and went. Before I knew it, Petr was towering above me. His hair was long and jet black and he had dark, curious eyes. He was always asking questions."

Chihiro smiled also. Petr sounded like he had completely endeared himself to his mistress.

"I realised I was being cruel. He was almost full-grown and could now fend for himself. I should not have kept him so long," continued Linca. "I set him free. He did not want to leave at first, but I insisted that he should go. He left eventually. He did not stay in the area. I think he felt that I had rejected him. But a few winters later he returned. He was now fully mature and he had a wife, a beautiful woman with ebony hair and dark green eyes. They had just had their first child, a daughter. Petr had brought her to the riverbank he had been sacrificed on to ask for my blessing. I appeared before the family and obliged, though his wife nearly fainted with fear." Linca chuckled ruefully.

"It was nice to have him back. I had been lonely. Boris, the river spirit, spent nearly all of his time in non-caporal form so I hardly had anyone to talk to any more. Petr and his family settled on a bit of floodplain in my domain and they started their own farm. Little Anya, his daughter, grew up playing in my garden." Linca's white eyes were far away. Chihiro doubted she was even aware that she had company any more.

"I don't know where the time went. Soon Anya had a husband and he had taken over the farm. Petr died in the winter of that year." Linca trailed off for a moment and squeezed her eyes closed. It was as if the pain of losing her companion was still raw.

"It rained a lot that year," she whispered. She then opened her eyes and heaved a sigh. "I retreated a little from Petr's family. They still sought me out to bless children and they sometimes stumbled upon me walking through their fields… But I did not want to try and replace Petr. No one could do that. He had been special, almost like a son."

Chihiro nodded, understanding.

"More time passed. Petr's story became legend, then myth. His descendants still lived on the farm he had built, but more people came. They built a village. These new people brought with them a new religion. Occasionally, men in strange robes came to serve the community. They declared every seventh day that there was one god and if you led a good life by his laws, then you would see paradise."

"Do you mean Christianity?" asked Chihiro.

"Yes," replied Linca. "I was not really bothered by it. Petr's descendants converted, but still left offerings for me on the riverbank. I grew quite partial to the Vodka they provided." Linca smirked to herself. "I was happy, a little lonely perhaps, but content. Years passed with me hardly noticing. Then there was a year with no spring. That was unusual enough to interest me."

"Eh?" asked Chihiro, not sure she had heard correctly.

"I don't know how it happened," murmured Linca. "The sun was weak and watery in the sky, always shrouded in clouds. The snow that fell in the winter was grey in colour for a few days in January and tasted foul. I did not notice anything else unusual until I suddenly realised it was April and there had been no thaw."

Chihiro wracked her brain. It was no good. She could not come up with a reason for the phenomenon. She wished she had paid more attention in her science classes and spent less time dreaming of dragons.

"The village began to empty. People left, heading south," sighed Linca. "Soon all that was left was the poor, old and disabled. I found myself in almost the same situation I had been in a few hundred years ago. Petr's myth was not forgotten, and the people were desperate. Another boy was left on the riverbank. This one was so weak from hunger and cold that he could not even struggle against his bonds." Linca's face darkened briefly. Chihiro could well imagine the state the child would be in. Winter food reserves could only last so long in a community dependent on subsistence agriculture. With no food and the land they needed to farm still frozen, Chihiro could understand why the village had sacrificed one of their own. They were all doomed anyway, so why not? Even if the myth was just a myth, there was nothing else they could do to try and survive. Their only other alternative was to wait for death and do nothing to try and change their fate. That was just not part of human nature. Humans would do anything to survive.

"Their God could not save them, so they fell back into old habits," said Linca, confirming Chihiro's thoughts. "I think I was flattered in a way; they had not forgotten me! I raided my own food stores and bought supplies in the spirit world, nearly killing myself by crossing the barrier with them. I left the food and took the boy." Linca snorted and rolled her eyes. "If I had known what was going to happen, I would have drowned him then and there!" she spat. "But I didn't," she sighed, her anger ebbing.

Linca fell silent. Chihiro thought for a moment she would not continue. She decided to be patient and let the silence stretch. Finally, she was rewarded.

"I took the boy in," said Linca at last, "thinking I was at last ready to love another human as I had loved Petr. But Taras was very different. He was not in awe of me; in fact, he appeared to view me as a kidnapper. I reminded him that his people had given him over to me. I also promised numerous times that I meant him no harm. I just wanted to take care of him. It made no difference. He barely spoke to me.

"I lived in a cave at the time; there was nothing rough about it though! I had a stove, furniture, carpets… It was more comfort than he had probably ever had! But he continued to sneer at my efforts to try and tend to his needs. My overtones of friendship were rejected outright. His icy blue eyes would snap with fury whenever I showed kindness towards him. He was never rude or impolite but his expression said everything he didn't.

"After a few weeks I had had enough. I left a hole in the barrier that protected my cave and told Taras he could leave. He was now in full health and there was no reason for him to stay. He refused my offer, claiming I was trying to trick him somehow. Petr had never been as sullen and temperamental as Taras, even when he was in his teens. Taras was only fifteen winters, but I was at a loss for what to do with him. He did not want to stay, but refused to leave, and my memories of my dear Petr kept me from abandoning him or forcing him to leave."

Linca looked at the sky and a small, secretive smile crept over her face. "He was a beautiful boy, or rather, he was when I finally convinced him to bathe regularly. He was rather pungent before that. I never really minded the smell of humans, but dirty humans make my stomach turn. He had curly blond hair, as did most of the migrants to the region, and large eyes the colour of glacial ice, but they never smiled or showed amusement. He was as cold to me as the snow. He was a little thin—still from starvation—but I was feeding him good food and he was working in my garden most days, so I knew he would soon fill out again. I could not escape the feeling that he hated me. Those icy eyes followed me warily whenever I was in his presence and he was always frowning. This situation continued for six months and I was lucky if he said anything at all to me in the course of a day." The sprite shook her head at her remembered frustration.

"I came to the conclusion that I really would have to abandon Taras if he was ever to be happy. Once he realised I was not trying to trick him, he would no doubt go his own way. I told him he needed to gather firewood for me and he followed me out into the woods. I changed into my owl form and left him there. I returned to my cave, not even bothering to put my barrier back up. I felt like such a failure! I had always thought I could never replace Petr and yet I now realised I had hoped Taras would become another surrogate son. I decided that it was time I faded from the human world, just like Boris had. I would exist as a true bonded spirit and not take solid form at all. I was sitting in a chair, contemplating all this, when Taras stormed into the cave. He grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me upright. He yelled at me! I had never heard him raise his voice before! He started to rant at me; I had abandoned him, I was a cruel temptress and dim witted. Why hadn't I seen how he felt? He taunted me, saying that an all-powerful spirit was supposed to know everything. I let him shout, astounded he was talking to me at all in complete sentences. He had come back to me—why on earth would he do that? I was too confused to be angry at his outburst.

"After calling me an idiot in a number of creative ways, he suddenly grabbed me around my waist and kissed me." Linca's fingers hovered near her blue lips, as if they could still feel the long ago kiss.

"It was like nothing I had felt before. I was not exactly chaste, but Taras's kiss turned my legs to water. He was rough and urgent, but his hold on me was gentle." Linca shuddered and rubbed her arms. Chihiro felt heat rushing to her face.

"He was fifteen!" she could not help protesting.

"They married as young as twelve back then, Chi," said Linca with a throaty chuckle. "Besides, he certainly did not act like it was his first time kissing a woman."

Chihiro wished she could stop blushing like a teenager, but she was shaken.

"We became lovers," said Linca softly. "I had never been in love before and the fact I had fallen so hard for a mere human bothered me. We talked about many things over the next few weeks. I told Taras that I thought it was better for him to live with humans, to be part of their world. We could have lived in the spirit world of course, but once bonded, Taras would have to stay there, which I knew he would not want. If he remained with me in the cave, he would eventually get lonely. Spirits can handle centuries of solitude, but humans are social creatures and need other humans.

"Taras eventually agreed to go back to human society, but he would live close to me. He returned to the village that had sacrificed him, spinning a story about paying their debt to me in hard servitude. He was given land in thanks by the grateful villagers, which he dually farmed. I ensured that he had the best crops at harvest time. His produce became famous within a year. Soon he was not working the land himself; he hired others to do it for him.

"He grew tall and I swear he got more beautiful every day. I saw him every few days at first; there were many trysts behind haystacks and in barns. But as he got wealthier, he had less free time. I knew he was under a lot of pressure and had a lot of responsibility, so I did not get angry at seeing him infrequently. When he turned thirty, they made him village leader and we were lucky if we spent one day a week together. People were suspicious when he would vanish for a day. They remembered well that he had been the property of a land spirit once. They felt embarrassed and guilty for what they had done to him, but he never went into detail about his experiences as a spirit slave. He had also refused to marry. That was extremely unusual. The questions and suspicions wore him down. He saw me less and less.

"I was worried he was working too hard at first. Then I worried that he had finally grown tired of me. He was loving, passionate, and always apologetic for his absence when we were together. There was always the best of reasons why he could not see me. I had no real grounds to object. I was the one who had insisted he be part of the human world. However, when he was gone for a month, I knew I had to find out what was keeping him from me."

Chihiro was sure she could take an educated guess at what was keeping Taras from Linca, but she said nothing. She was having a hard time picturing Linca as naive and trusting enough to wait a month before finding out what her lover was up to. She guessed the spirits personality had changed significantly through the centuries.

"I rarely ever visited the village on my land. It was a small place; there was nothing in it to really interest me. I waited until it was dark, then flew amongst the houses in my owl form."

Linca's voice had dropped to a whisper.

"I saw him with a woman. No, a girl really; she was no more than seventeen," the sprite said in a dead tone. "I saw them through the window of his home; he was hugging her and whispering something in her ear. She was heavily pregnant."

Chihiro winced; it must have been devastating for the sprite to find out her love was betraying her in that way.

"I retreated, like a coward. I abandoned solid form entirely and lived with my land. The earth soothed me. I was tired; it was tired, near exhausted from being so intensively farmed. We decided to cut all ties with the humans. We poured our limited energy into the natural vegetation, withdrawing our blessing from the crops. We did not kill the humans' food, but we would offer no help to it either." Linca smirked to herself; it was not a pleasant smile.

"Taras was soon searching for me, calling my name out in the woods and by the river. He would yell apologies, repeating that he was sorry for neglecting me. He had many commitments at present. In a few months he would have more freedom."

"When the child was born," muttered Chihiro under her breath.

"Exactly!" snapped Linca. "He clearly thought I would not have looked for him in the village. The crops in the fields were not promising. The harvest would be meagre this year and people would look to their leader to make things right. But without me, Taras was simply a normal man. He appeared to have forgotten that.

"He stopped looking for me at harvest time. I thought that his child must have come. I continued to nurture the natural plant life. Briars and weeds flourished in the gardens and less travelled roads of the village. Ivy began to cover the houses with a haze of green. People began to leave again; the harvest was not large enough to sustain the entire population through the winter. I swore that if a human turned to me for aid this time, I would kill any sacrifice made and change nothing." Linca swallowed, she had been speaking for some time and Chihiro thought her throat must be dry. "I was willing to watch them all starve if necessary, but Taras sought me out one last time. He wandered the woods for hours, calling for me. He camped out overnight and got no sleep. I knew he was weeping in the dark, but in my detached state it did not rouse me."

Chihiro was astounded at the man's audacity. Did he have a death wish? He had already betrayed and angered a spirit. He should have left Linca to her solitude and been grateful he was still breathing.

"By the second day my curiosity grew. I was interested to see what had made him so bold. Surely he could not defend his actions? At sunset on that day I appeared to him." Linca sighed, and shook her head. "I knew Taras had a temper; I knew the man inside out, or rather, I thought I did. When I saw the rage he fell into, it was like nothing I had seen before. He pinned me against a tree. I was so surprised I did not even think of fighting back! He shouted in my face. He called me an evil, hateful goblin and he was ashamed he had ever loved me. His people could starve because of my petty jealousy and he would curse me a hundred times for every death."

Linca took a shuddering breath.

"I needed to get him away from me. I only meant to push him, but I used too much force… I… I…"

Linca's lip trembled. Chihiro rested a hand on her sister's knee, silently telling her that she could guess the rest. Linca did not need to continue, but she spoke again, her voice brittle and full of pain.

"I put my hand straight through his chest; I tore his heart to shreds with my own fingers… There was so much blood! It sprayed over me, hot and tasting of metal. It soaked into my clothes and turned my skin and hair red. I don't really remember what I did next. I know I left him there; I could not stand to see the accusation in those lifeless blue eyes. I vanished into the earth and buried my conscious mind as deep as possible. It hurt less that way.

"I was roused some days later by the pounding of many feet. I took my owl form to investigate. What was left of the village's population appeared to be on the move. It took my thick-witted brain a moment to work out what was happening. This was Taras's funeral procession. Everyone was walking slowly to the river; the priest at the head of the procession was carrying an urn. Taras had already been cremated." Linca sniffed, as if she wept, but her eyes were dry. Chihiro wondered just how many tears the sprite had shed over this to talk of these events now without dissolving into sobs.

"I followed the procession. I don't remember why or even if I had a reason. Maybe I was curious, or maybe I just felt I deserved the pain. He was dead because of me. I heard those in the procession talking. His death had been blamed on a bear attack. His body had been badly torn up when he was found. I guess something had found him appetising after I left him. They came to the bank of the river where he had been sacrificed all those years ago. The young woman I had seen him with stepped forward. She had a sling around her to bind her baby to her chest. She opened the urn and took a handful of the ash. She sprinkled it on the water and then whispered, 'Goodbye sweet brother…'"

Linca paused to let the information sink into Chihiro's disbelieving brain. Chihiro realised her mouth was open and closed it.

"I never had any reason to suspect he had a sister," whispered Linca. "He had told me he was living with relatives, but never mentioned a sister. When I saw them together, I had assumed… I knew little of human society anyway. His sister obviously had a mate and yet her brother was hugging her... Petr had been the only other human I had known well and he had had no siblings. I had jumped to the wrong conclusion; I was young and very stupid. Even a non-bonded spirit would have known better. But I did not even know who my parents were… I knew nothing of family…I had thought that as Taras was human; his heart could not possibly be constant... Humans were fickle and he was getting older… I was so very wrong…"

Linca stopped talking. Her voice was wobbling uncontrollably. Chihiro was unsure if she should hold her. Linca looked as if she may shatter if she was touched. Every muscle in her small frame was tensed. Chihiro rested a hand on the small of Linca's back and rubbed it slowly up and down in what she hoped was a soothing motion. Finally, after what seemed like half an hour of total silence, Linca stopped staring at the fire and turned to Chihiro.

"I knew that I would be in trouble for my actions. My local council of spirits would not be pleased I had killed a village leader. It was not in my nature to hunt and kill, so I could not use my instincts as an excuse. I could have brought my kind much unwanted attention from the humans. We wanted to fade from their memory and move away from them, not antagonise them. I was lucky something had partly eaten Taras, or I may have been hunted by humans and my own kind. As it was, the elder spirits passed judgement on me. I could have defended myself, explained that it was an accident, but I did not. I felt I deserved it. I wanted to be blamed. I received a year's servitude for killing a human without provocation."

Linca chuckled bitterly.

"One measly year of servitude for committing murder may seem laughable to you, but the council were lenient. I had only killed a single human after all. A year is nothing to an immortal, no time at all really. It was as if they were giving me a quick spanking for being a naughty girl. I would have served for an eternity and though it just… but… but he was…"

Linca's voice finally gave out on her. A dry sob wracked her small body.

"… He was only human…" Chihiro finished for her quietly. Linca nodded mutely and her white eyes were drawn back to the fire. "That's why you were so angry," whispered Chihiro. "Part of you was jealous that Haku and I were happy. The spell in the valley brought that out of you."

"I only ever wished for your happiness," whispered Linca. "But it hurt… it hurt so badly… Nothing helped ease it, not even sex really. No one would look at me the way he looked at you. That dragon's eyes followed you everywhere, like you were some precious and delicate thing he had to watch constantly to stop others from taking. He loves you with his entire soul. Anyone can see that. Three hundred and forty-two years ago, there was a man who looked at me exactly the same way. I killed him and have been living in a purgatory of my own creation ever since." The flames of the campfire spat and crackled. "I know I will never be loved like that again," sighed the sprite. "Or love someone as much as I love him." She then laughed and turned back to her sister. "Not in that way I mean. Loving you is different. I can love my sister and still feel lonely." She smirked at Chihiro. "And of course I have no wish to have carnal knowledge of you."

Chihiro smiled in return, but did not know what to say. Where to start? All sorts of optimistic or soothing words popped into her mind. She wanted to offer Linca hope, but reassurances seemed trite. In the end she settled for…

"I love you, Linca."

The sprite smiled and closed her eyes.

"And I love you, Chi," she replied. "I am so sorry. I don't want to feel resentment, but…"

"I know you don't," said Chihiro softly. "You can stay behind if you like. You don't have to come with me any further."

"What?" squeaked the sprite, staring at Chihiro incredulously. "Don't you dare even think of ditching me!" Chihiro held her hands up, trying to placate the suddenly angry spirit.

"I did not mean that!" she bleated. "I just thought that…"

"You thought wrong!" snapped the sprite, standing. "Nothing has changed. We will get Haku back, you will spawn your brat, and you better be damn ecstatic or I will throttle you!"

Chihiro gaped at her sister, once again struck dumb.

"Now I am going to forage for food to stretch out what is left of our supplies. Just you sit and rest. I will be back by dawn." Chihiro shook her head as she watched Linca stalk away. She knew the sprite was using her outburst to cover up how vulnerable she was feeling after recounting her tragic past. Compared to Linca's history, Chihiro's childhood had been positively rosy. Small wonder Linca had harboured some resentment towards her. Chihiro sighed and began to cook a small portion of rice. Rin would be furious if she knew they had lost what they had been given.

It was strange. Chihiro realised she had somehow managed to surround herself with lonely people; Rin, a refugee from her partner even though she had intentionally forgotten him; Scott, the original "nice guy" who had been the first person who ever wanted to date her. She suspected that dating her had been more to do with being close to someone who was friendly to him in a foreign land and less about her attractiveness... Now there was Linca, who had accidentally killed the love of her life and had been punishing herself ever since. Many years later the sprite had been driven from her bonded land by a nuclear accident and had wandered the spirit world as a non-bonded spirit until she had stumbled across the bathhouse and Haku.

Chihiro's heart seemingly contracted in her chest. He had been lonely too, lonely, bad tempered and withdrawn, until he met her…

What was it about her that drew lonely people to her? Or perhaps it was the other way around? Was she drawn to lonely people because she knew she would be accepted, something she never had been in her own world.

It was a puzzle that would take much more than one night's contemplation to solve.

XXXXXX

**Some fantastic fanart been put on the DA site recently. Apologies to Beta-sama. I posted the unbetaed version of this chap at first. (BOWS) Sorry! **


	44. Lost in Translation

_**Lost in Translation**_

Kenshin smiled to himself. If the situation had not been so dire, he would have been highly amused. He had few pleasures left to him in life; he had lived so long that hardly anything surprised him. Presently, however, he almost felt like he wanted to laugh. There was nothing like pitting your wits against a worthy opponent. Even if he usually won such bouts, there was an element of uncertainty. But now, something very strange had happened before his eyes. He had been watching his nemesis in Yubaba's crystal ball for the last four hours. The witch was almost fainting from the strain of holding the link for so long, but she knew better than to complain. He needed to see this little drama through till its conclusion.

He had been thwarted by a human! This was unprecedented! So far, she had danced to the rhythm of every tune he decided to play, but this, this was something he had not accounted for. She had not reacted as he had prompted at all. He had thought that when the sprite was driven mad by the voices in the valley, the human would abandon her. She was with child after all; her child's safety would be paramount in her mind. He had counted on the Nygel passing out due to his more sensitive ears, so she would have been left with one companion to bring her to him after the water horse had recovered. He had been pleased when the human had struck the land spirit in self-defence. He had expected her to run while the spirit was disorientated, or perhaps even kill the sprite. Impossibly, the human had figured out the source of the sprite's madness and even devised a non-magical antidote. He had not thought a human could be so ingenious. He had only ever known one human well, and that had been over a very short period of time. He smiled at the ancient memories. Yes, he should have been more curious about her when they were acquainted, but he had not seen the point. She had shown him however that human kind was not deliberately self-destructive. For the most part, they were peaceful and fun loving. He realised he was guilty of underestimating Chihiro. Of course humans were ingenious; they would not now be a threat to spirit kind if they were not intelligent and resilient creatures.

The spirit's affection for her human sister was also much stronger than he would have thought. They were not related, and yet they were bound together as tightly as any siblings he had encountered. He could still hardly credit how deeply he had misjudged the situation. His heart felt light, as if weeks of tiredness that his task had imposed on him had briefly fallen away. He knew this was partly due to the fire grass burning in his veins but it was also pride. He felt proud that the human had outwitted him. He smirked at the glass. Yes, his mother had chosen her weapon very well indeed. He could not remain emotionally detached from his nemesis any more. He was certain that she would provoke even more emotions in him when he finally met her. She was so very close to his fortress now. He ran the tip of his tongue over his top lip. He was almost salivating over the prospect of their meeting! He was impatient. He had not felt impatient in centuries! He wanted to end the game now and bring her to him immediately… but the natural laws forbade his direct interference and he could not afford to break those laws. If he did, his own power might turn against him. The laws of nature were ancient and cruel and did not need enforcement from spirit kind; they enforced themselves. They were far more ancient than even his mother and he was sure they would endure long after the worlds became one once more.

He would have to play the game a little longer. He would capture his prize soon enough… or that was what he told himself.

"Enough, Yubaba," he said quietly. The image of the young human female and her spirit sister sleeping in their tent vanished. The witch sighed heavily and sunk down onto a nearby sofa. Kenshin mumbled his thanks to the ugly crone, then exited her dim rooms to bask momentarily in the moonlit chill of the desert night. He breathed in the icy, arid air and sighed. He would have to use his reserve strategy. He would need the aid of a very old associate. Kenshin generally disliked associating with carnivorous spirits, but this spirit was tolerable as he only preyed on the weak willed and morally corrupt. He did not attack, or ambush; he took those who offered themselves to him. Spirit or human, it was all the same to him; flesh was flesh. It had to be female flesh, however. He did not eat males. That was the nature of his kind. The females took only males and the males only females. Understandable, given the nature of their hunting technique.

He was perfect to entrap the land spirit. She would easily fall under his curse. Chihiro would not be able to release the sprite once she was sealed into the gruesome contract her hunter would impose on her. The land spirit would also have no wish to release herself. The water horse was not powerful enough to save the land spirit, and his mother and her family were far too busy trying to deal with the fallout from his spell to aid the group. This would leave the human with one option… surrender. Kenshin grinned to himself in the moonlight. This game was almost over. This black knight was about to remove one of the last white pawns. The opposing pieces would then have to forfeit and that would leave the queen undefended. Once he had won, he would change the rules of the game forever.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chihiro woke. The scrubby sprigs of grass the tent had been pitched over were poking through her bedding. She would be red and sore again…

"Are you awake?" asked Linca's voice in the dimness of the tent.

"Yes," Chihiro replied and struggled upright.

"It's your turn to make breakfast," said Linca in a dull tone.

"Fantastic," sighed Chihiro. "More rice and unidentifiable plant material."

Linca's foraging trips were always successful, but Chihiro had no idea what she was eating any more. They had been crossing empty scrubland for days. The land was flat, but unlike the lush bathhouse plane, the grass here was dry and brittle. It would reduce to nothing but stubble when stepped on or slept on. The ground was bone dry and the surface soil would break up into a fine dust and be whipped up into small, yellow dust devils by the constant oven-like breezes. It was hot! The sun beat down on the plane all day and played tricks on the eyes. The heat shimmer on the horizon looked deceptively like sparkling water, as if just to taunt them. Luckily, with the flying cloak Chihiro was spared most of the unpleasant effects of the climate. Her little dove form did not drink or eat much and the air at higher altitudes was blessedly cool. They had always been able to find enough water so far. Linca's wonderful owl's eyesight could spot streams and pools from miles away.

The Nygel did not complain about the heat or voice any discomfort he might feel in the arid landscape. He was unusually quiet and would sleep without sitting the night through.

The sword, however, was very vocal. It was trying to think of a name for itself. Chihiro stretched forward and picked it up.

"Eginhard!" it cried triumphantly in her mind.

"No," sighed Chihiro. She was of the opinion that Haku should name the blade, but the sword seemed determined to name itself, though it appeared to care about her opinion on the subject.

"What is wrong with Eginhard?" it exclaimed.

"It sounds ugly," Chihiro thought at it as she strapped the weapon to her side.

"Sedgley the great!" it tried again. "Ether Edge! Flame Edge! Savageglaive!"

"No, all ugly, but keep trying," sighed Chihiro and let go of the blade's hilt.

"Is it still trying to think of a name?" asked Linca groggily.

"Yes," muttered Chihiro.

"Here is a suggestion," murmured the sprite. "Haku's shovel." Chihiro chuckled; she did not need to touch the sword to know that it would be insulted.

Linca groaned and sat up from her bedroll. Her white hair was sticking out at odd angles and her white eyes had grey blue shadows beneath them.

"Did you not sleep again?" asked Chihiro, concerned. Ever since the valley of winds, Linca had hardly slept.

"I think I got an hour, but no real rest," admitted the sprite ruefully. "The dreams are worse than the insomnia." Chihiro winced in sympathy. She hoped Linca did not sicken from a lack of sleep. She was sure it could not be good for her to lie awake every night when they were so active during the day. Chihiro had not mentioned the fact she had heard Linca crying in the middle of the night on more than one occasion. Chihiro left the tent. Last night's campfire was out and cold, but Chihiro knew how to coax it back to life. She stirred up the ash in the fire pit with a stick until she found a half glowing ember. She packed some dry grass around the ember and then blew on it gently. The grass smouldered and a ten minutes later Chihiro had a small cooking fire burning merrily in the fire pit. Wood was scarce on the plane, but Scott had taught her how to build a small, hot fire for cooking that used nothing but twigs and dry grass.

As much as she missed him, and felt guilt over him being injured, Chihiro would never regret bringing him with her on her quest. His advice and knowledge had been invaluable. Linca shuffled out of the tent and nearly tripped over the Nygel, who was lying on his flank just outside the tent. He was still fast asleep despite the activity around him. Linca prodded him in his withers with her foot.

"Get up, pony," she said without energy. "We have to go and find food." The Nygel rolled onto his belly with a groan, but otherwise did not complain.

"You deal with the meat," said Linca with a yawn. "I'll go digging around a waterhole for something our ungrateful human companion might recognise as a vegetable and eat without complaining."

"I don't complain," muttered Chihiro to the pot she was boiling over her fire. "I just happen to be cautious of putting food I don't recognise into my mouth."

"HA!" scoffed Linca, sounding a little more like herself. "This is coming from a Japanese woman!" she laughed. "You think nothing about munching on sea cucumbers and horse, but present you with a few nameless roots and you…"

"You eat horse?" asked the Nygel incredulously. Chihiro glared at Linca, who now wore a self-satisfied smirk on her blue lips. "On purpose?" he whinnied. His adorable brown eyes were wide and rolling a little with shock. Chihiro frowned; what could she say? But Linca answered for her.

"Lots of humans eat horse. Why should you care if she eats a dumb, non-sentient beast of burden that happens to look like you?" She pointed to the Nygel and then to Chihiro. "Carnivores and omnivores can, and frequently do eat herbivores. It's the way of things. Horses are made of meat—humans eat them. Humans are made of meat and sometimes Nygels eat them." The Nygel snorted and tossed his head, affronted. "I only ever ate in self-defence!" he declared.

"I don't eat horse now," Chihiro piped up, hoping to soothe the Nygel. "Not since I came to the spirit world and met you."

The Nygel flicked his tail but seemed mollified. He trotted off, but not before saying…

"I never liked the taste of human anyway, far too fatty."

Chihiro chuckled at his antics and added rice to her now boiling pot.

"Well, I am glad someone is happy," said Linca, stretching. "I really think that…" The sprite stopped mid-sentence. Chihiro looked up; Linca was squinting into an area of brush just behind the tent.

"What is it?" asked Chihiro.

"We have a visitor," said Linca quietly. "I must be more tired than I thought. I should have noticed them before now."

"Who?" queried Chihiro. She could see nothing in the snarled rat's nest of dried brush that surrounded their camp.

"They are breathing heavily," Linca's white eyes glanced down at her sister. "I smell human, Chi, and you've not carried that scent for a very long time." Chihiro at first wondered what she now smelt of if not human, but then her brain caught up with Linca's words.

"There is a human in there?" she hissed.

Linca nodded.

"The smell is faint, but it is unmistakable," said Linca. Her eyes riveted on a patch of brush. Chihiro understood what Linca was not saying. A faint scent meant the human had been in the spirit world for more than three days. They must have eaten or they would have vanished, but even after surviving that danger, there was the sallow-hale to contend with. Chihiro stood.

"Hello?" Chihiro called loudly. "You can come out now. We won't harm you!" The bushes rustled, then suddenly parted. A woman staggered out of the brush. She was young, probably not even twenty. She had long, curly, brown hair that was discoloured with dust and had more than a few twigs stuck in it. She had pale northern European type skin, but Chihiro was sure she was not supposed to see the shadows of the woman's veins under the skin of her neck and forehead. Her face was damp with sweat and her brown eyes were large and frightened. Most surprising of all was she was wearing a blue, silk ball gown. The dress was ripped and torn and the woman's face, bare arms and legs were all scratched by the thorns of the bushes she had been hiding in.

Chihiro wondered how long she had been in the spirit world. Judging from the fact that the woman's feet were bare and the dress was badly stained, Chihiro thought it may be a considerable time. She was sure there was old vomit still stuck to the front of the dress. The woman was trembling all over, nearly swaying where she stood. She moistened her fever-dried lips and spoke in a low throaty tone.

"_**S'il vous plait, aidez-moi…**__**"**_

Chihiro blinked; she could not understand the woman at all. What was she speaking, Italian?

"_**S'il vous plait**__**,"**_ the woman repeated. Her bottom lip trembled. _**"**__**Je suis malade**__**."**_

Chihiro did not need to understand what the woman said to know she was suffering.

"_**Bon-Bonjour**__**"**_ said Linca uncertainly. _**"**__**Nous amies, aider vous**__**."**_

"You speak her language?" exclaimed Chihiro. The woman apparently understood Linca; she sobbed and sank to her knees.

"_**Merci mon Dieu **__**!"**_ she cried. _**"**__**Merci mon Dieu **__**!"**_

Chihiro and Linca rushed to her and lifted her back to her feet. Chihiro's nose wrinkled. The woman smelt of vomit and old sweat.

"My French is terrible. I only know a tiny bit," grunted Linca as they half walked, half dragged the woman to the tent. The woman did not seem to mind being manhandled by someone like Linca, who was clearly not human. Chihiro again wondered at what had happened to the woman. She must have had some help. Someone must have fed her and taken care of her.

They sat the sobbing woman down on Linca's bedroll. Chihiro offered her a water canteen. The woman almost tore it out of her hands. She gulped from it, gagged, and water dribbled from her mouth and nose.

"**Lentement**_**,"**_said Linca in a soothing tone. The woman sipped the water. Once she had quenched her thirst, she broke into a steady stream of French.

"_**C'est quoi cet endroit ? **__**Où suis-je ? Une chose qui ressemblait à un loup mais avec une crinière de lion m'a pourchassée ! **__**Ça fait des jours que je me cache ? Mais bon sang ! Où suis-je ?"**_

"_**Parlez plus lent**__**,"**_ Linca sighed. _**"**__**Pas comprendre **__**!"**_ she said, shaking her head. A strange conversation followed where Linca and the woman spoke and Linca relayed what she understood to Chihiro.

"She was at a birthday party for her sister. She walked through the back door of the hotel the party was being held in and found herself here."

"When was that?" Chihiro asked. The woman frowned at her. Linca asked Chihiro's question, stumbling over the French words.

"_**Je pense que ça fait plus d'une semaine, je ne suis pas sûre. Cette maladie me fait beaucoup dormir**__**."**_

Linca sighed and translated.

"She says over a week but it's probably been longer I think. The sallow-hale is quite advanced."

"_**Le lapin !**_"cried the woman. _**"**__**Qu'est-il arrivé au lapin **__**?"**_

Another stream of French erupted from the woman and a fresh film of sweat formed on her face. Linca frowned through the chatter. It sounded very pretty to Chihiro's ear; the words rolled and flowed quite beautifully from the woman's lips. But she could not understand one single syllable of it.

"I think a rabbit spirit helped her," said Linca softly. "She said she travelled with a small creature with big ears, white fur, and a nose that twitched. She could not understand the language it spoke in, but it gave her food and found her shade when it was hot. It gave her what she thought was medicine too..."

"Medicine!" Chihiro exclaimed. How could she be so stupid? She dug into Linca's pack. They each had been given two types of first aid kits when they left the bathhouse. One was from Scott and was almost exclusively for human use; the other was from Kamaji and would treat both humans and spirits. Chihiro pulled out some paracetamol, hoping it would lower the girl's temperature and some of Kamaji's stomach remedy to stop her vomiting.

Chihiro dosed the girl with both and got her to drink more water.

"They were attacked by what sounds like wild dogs, but I can't be sure," said Linca, continuing to translate. "She and the rabbit were separated."

"Do you think the rabbit died?" asked Chihiro sadly.

"Probably. Rabbit spirits are preyed on by many carnivorous spirits," sighed Linca.

Chihiro caught their guest's eye and pointed to herself.

"Chihiro!" she said loudly. "Ch-hee-row!"

"Chihiro," the woman repeated, her accent rolling pleasantly over the name. Chihiro pointed to Linca.

"Linca, Lin-ka."

"Linca," the woman said, smiling. She was obviously pleased to put names to her helpers. She pointed to herself with a trembling hand.

"Claudine," she said softly. Chihiro beamed at her.

"Claudine," she echoed, hoping she was pronouncing the name correctly.

Suddenly, the woman's body stiffened. Her eyes widened and began to roll.

"She's going to have a fit!" squeaked Linca. Chihiro grabbed Claudine, laid her back on the bedroll, and turned her onto her side. The fit lasted perhaps thirty seconds, but it felt much longer. Claudine's whole body twitched and shook. Her lips turned blue and she dribbled slaver over her chin and neck. Slowly, her body stilled but Claudine did not wake up.

They cleaned her up while she was unconscious, washing her frail body down with soap and water and dressing her fresh clothing. They did not speak during the task and Chihiro was sure her expression was as grim as Linca's. Neither needed to say that they could not move on while Claudine was in their care. There was no cure for what ailed the woman, and Claudine appeared to be in the final stages of the illness. Only a spirit of great power could adapt her body to the world she was now in...

The sisters sat outside the tent and waited for the Nygel to return. They checked on Claudine frequently, afraid she would suffer another fit.

"What are we going to do?" asked Chihiro as she prepared lunch.

"Make her comfortable," said Linca softly. "Hope for a miracle. If there is not one, then..." Linca trailed off. Chihiro turned from her bubbling pan over the fire.

"Then what?" she asked. Linca gave her a penetrating look.

"Then we ensure her death is as painless as possible," she said in a small voice.

Chihiro sighed. There really was nothing else they could do. Abruptly, Chihiro stood up. There was something she could do!

"OI!" she shouted at the arid blue sky. "OI! You owe me, Lady! This woman has nothing to do with the quest. You can save her!" There was silence. A breeze sighed through the camp. The Goddess did not appear.

"I demand you help me!" Chihiro scrammed at the sky. "This whole mess is your fault anyway!"

"Chi," said Linca gently. She was wearing a pained look. "No deity can answer all the prayers of its faithful."

"I am no faithful follower!" hissed Chihiro through her teeth. "I am a tool, nothing more!"

"_**Papa?"**_ called a weak voice from the tent. _**"**__**Papa où es-tu ? Il fait sombre, je ne vois rien **__**!"**_

Chihiro and Linca hurried back to the tent. Claudine was on her hands and knees feeling her way forward uncertainly with trembling hands.

"_**Papa**__** !"**_ she called again and tilted her head upwards towards the sound of the sisters' feet. Chihiro swallowed the bile that rose in her throat; she would not be sick. She refused! Claudine's eyes were swollen and red, almost bulging from their sockets. Blood was pouring from her tear ducts.

"_**S'il te plait, Papa, répond-moi **__**!"**_ The young woman sobbed.

Linca murmured soothingly to the distressed woman and helped her back to her bedroll.

"_**Ma sœur **__**!"**_ Claudine cried joyfully. "_**Marie ! Je ne vois rien, il y a quelque chose qui ne va pas avec mes yeux**__**."**_ Linca laid Claudine back down and whispered comforting words in both French and what Chihiro suspected was Russian. The sprite wiped her patient's eyes with a damp cloth.

"She thinks I'm her sister," said Linca in the smallest of whispers. "It would be kinder if we did not correct her." Chihiro nodded; she doubted the delirious woman would understand anyway. Besides, no one wanted to die among strangers. Claudine would be calmer if she thought her family was caring for her. Chihiro balled her hands into fits and felt the sting of her nails biting into her palms. She felt like her heart was going to break. She was not sure she could bare this.

The Nygel returned and seemed more concerned for the anguish he thought Chihiro might feel, rather than the French woman's condition. Overnight, Claudine lost consciousness again. Linca had not been able to get her to eat, but she did manage to drink. None of the questers slept that night, none wanted to eat the fresh rations provided by the Nygel, none of them felt even remotely hungry.

Chihiro entered the tent just before dawn. It was the third time she had checked on Claudine in the last hour. The young woman was quiet. Chihiro watched her in the grey predawn light. Her ruined eyes were closed and there was a small smile on her cracked lips. It took Chihiro a moment to realise that Claudine was too still. Her chest was not rising and falling. There were no sounds of breathing at all. Slowly, Chihiro knelt beside the bedroll. She touched Claudine's face. Her skin was not cold, not yet, but something about the texture of the skin told Chihiro that it was not living tissue any more. She ran a hand over the woman's curly hair.

"I am so sorry," she whispered. "So very sorry." Something inside Chihiro's chest shattered. She rested her forehead on the bedroll in a gesture of utter supplication. "Forgive me," she said in a brittle tone. "If I had been stronger... got here faster..." She swallowed and tried again, not even sure it was just Claudine she was apologising to now.

"I'm too weak. I have no power or skill. I can't do this..."

"If you can't do this, then there is no one else who can. He will win if you give up," said a tired but familiar voice behind Chihiro. Chihiro raised her head but did not turn around.

"You're too late, great lady," she said tonelessly. "I called you but..." A hand squeezed Chihiro's shoulder with surprising strength.

"And I would have come, if I could, but this poor girl is not the only human who has stumbled into our lands of late. There have been hundreds. We have returned as many as possible but..." The goddess did not need to finish her sentence. She seated herself beside Chihiro and Chihiro finally straightened up and looked at her.

The goddess looked exhausted. Her black hair was limp and had lost its lustre. Her blue skin had paled. She was now almost the same light blue colour as Linca. Her clothes were simple and travel-stained. The lady's eyes twinkled briefly in amusement at the very evident confusion on Chihiro's face.

"You're a mess," said the human frankly.

"I have no power to waste on vanity," said the goddess with a sigh. "Returning humans has tested my strength to the limit. My son is in a coma right now because he pushed himself too hard."

"Your son is helping you?" asked Chihiro in disbelief. "But he's still a baby!"

"He also has great strength and he is a resource I could not leave untapped," said the goddess in a listless tone. "Besides, he would not let me leave him at home. That child loves humans and could not stand the thought of letting any of them die."

Chihiro glanced at the body before her. She had not been able to help Claudine. She should not criticise those who were working hard to save lives. She revaluated little Kisho slightly. Arrogant he may be, but he was also compassionate. Still, that did not mean she was ready to accept him as a prospective son-in-law either.

The goddess stirred beside her.

"Things are falling apart. Zeniba and your former servant have parties of staff roaming the plain and feeding any humans they find. They are lodging them in the bathhouse until they can be returned. The witch cannot do it herself, not without her seal. So they do what they can..." Chihiro smiled, pleased to hear that those she had left behind were trying their best to help in their own way.

The goddess moved forward and rested her hand on the body of Claudine. There was a flash and the body vanished.

"I have buried her outside," said the goddess to Chihiro's unasked question. "I cannot afford to be sending the dead home." Chihiro nodded, there had to be priorities, but she could not help but feel sadness for the family that was waiting for their daughter to come home. Now they would never know what had happened to her.

"This will probably be the last time I see you before..." The goddess hesitated a moment. "Before you meet my son," she said at last. She gave Chihiro a glance full of emotion. "If you think it will help you, you may tell him that I am sorry, for everything he endured in my name. I do understand his ideology..." the goddess's eyes drifted back to the vacant bedroll, "but this cannot be the way either. The price is far too high."

Chihiro hung her head. Kenshin's dogma did have some merit, but forced reunification would devastate both worlds for centuries. The goddess ran an affectionate hand over Chihiro's hair. "Do your best, my daughter," she whispered. Then she was gone, vanished to wherever else she was needed. Chihiro sucked in a sigh. They better pack up and move on. She had a favour to ask the Nygel first, however; she wanted him to find some flowers. There was bound to be something that came into bloom at night in the scrub lands. Claudine's passing should not go unmarked.

Chihiro glanced around the tent and felt her stomach contract in a brief moment of terror. She would be meeting her nemesis soon and she had to face some harsh realities. She may have to kill him.

"What will be, will be, child," said the sword in her mind. Chihiro had not realised she had taken hold of its hilt. "Like the goddess said, do your best. If you give your all and stay true to what you feel is right, then even a slow-witted human like you can prevail."

For once, Chihiro did not scold the sword for insulting her.

XXXXXXXX

**Massive thank you to Meiyo, the forum and Ori for the french translation. I could not do this without you ladies! **


	45. The Beginning of the End

The beginning of the end

Chihiro sat by the camp fire. Glad as she was for a reprieve from the heat of the day, it was now night and very cold. She shivered and huddled closer to the flames. A blanket was draped over her shoulders. Chihiro looked up to see Linca smiling down at her. The flames of the fire, however, cruelly illuminated her sister's haunted white eyes; Linca was still very troubled. Chihiro smiled up at her regardless. She did not want to change how she acted towards her sister just because she now knew of her past... Linca would certainly be the first one to yell at her if she even tried.

The diminutive spirit seated herself behind Chihiro. The nygel was already sprawled on his flank a small distance from the fire. The water horse really was suffering in the increasingly arid landscape.

"Six days," said Linca in a dead tone.

"Until what?" asked Chihiro.

"Until we reach the Glass Desert," Linca clarified. "After that, how long it takes to get to Haku…" Linca's bottom lip protruded slightly as she lost herself in thought for a moment. "Well, that depends on what psychopath- san does."

Chihiro nodded. Their journey had been relatively straightforward since Claudine's death a week ago. She knew they would not be permitted to go much further without interference from Kenshin. Chihiro dreaded meeting him. She tried to picture in her mind a face to go with the chilling voice she had heard in the darkness after her fall.

She normally imagined something straight out of a horror movie; fangs and glowing red eyes set in a gaunt, bloodless face. But that image of a gruesome monster did not fit the carefully plotted tactics that had been employed against them, nor did it fit the cultured mode of his speech. Besides, his mother was beautiful. Chihiro swallowed her nerves. Whatever face she was presented with, or whatever pretty words he may speak, she would never forget that he was the person that had snatched her mate from her. It was because of him that her arms were branded and she had risked life and limb to cross the spirit world to meet him. Her child had been placed in danger! She would never forgive him, even if by some chance the whole affair had an amicable ending.

She did not hold out much hope of that. Kenshin believed wholly in what he was doing. So convinced was he that his was the right path, that his conviction had almost swayed her when they were alone in the inky blackness of the canyon. But she could not be as cynical as he was about the two world's chances of survival. She believed that humans would eventually reform; they would have to! When the oil ran out and the temperature continued to creep up, they would have to change how they lived; go back to respecting nature before it killed them.

Chihiro had seen a couple of environmental demonstrations on her university campus. Students with placards demanding everyone should "Save the Planet!" It was Linca that had given Chihiro much more food for thought, however.

"The planet does not need saving," she had declared with a shrug. "The planet will be fine. It's human kind and the ecology that need preserving. The planet just is. If everything died tomorrow, life would start again from scratch. It has before; no doubt it will again."

Chihiro understood much better now what Linca meant. If the ecology did crash and there were mass extinctions, then that would have a massive impact on the spirits that embodied nature itself. Spirit kind's numbers would thin in direct proportion to the habitat and organism loss. They would survive, of course, but in much lower numbers. Without them, human kind would suffer. Droughts and famine in some areas, floods and vicious storms in others. With few caretakers left in the landscape it would soon degrade. Over 7 billion humans would soon be wondering why they could hardly grow crops or why they caught very few fish… It did not take a genius to work out what would happen. Human kind would survive, but in much lower numbers. That was what Linca thought, anyway. But Chihiro had an even more optimistic outlook than Linca. She was sure humankind would reform and adapt before the situation became that desperate. They must be given the chance to change! Kenshin was obviously not willing to take a chance, but she was!

"If we don't change then we deserve our fate," she thought gloomily. "We have the opportunity and technology to change, we just have to see we are not saving the planet, we are saving our civilisation."

"We should travel by night," said Linca, her accented voice cutting through Chihiro's contemplation of the troubles of the worlds. "The pony can't keep travelling in the heat, no matter what he says."

Chihiro nodded, it seemed logical. Linca stood. "I'm going to forage," she said with a yawn. "I have to make sure you and the brat get a nutritious breakfast."

Chihiro chuckled at her sister and the sprite changed into her owl form and flew on silent wings into the darkness. Chihiro expected her back in a few hours, but Linca did not return that night.

XXXXXXXX

It took three days to find Linca. Three days of frantically calling her name. Three days of relentless flying, always scanning the ground and three nights of riding the nygel since her dove form was useless in the dark. Chihiro had not thought it possible to sleep on horseback, but with the nygel holding her on magically, she did just that.

They could not move far from the campsite, in case Linca made it back. Chihiro suspected one of Kenshin's delays, but she could not be sure. Linca could have been attacked by one of the many predators in the area. Chihiro, smelling strongly of dragon magic, was avoided. Linca had no such protection.

Chihiro reminded herself that Linca had roamed the spirit world for years and came to no harm. She had not thought for one moment that Linca would get into a dangerous situation. Linca was just a lost land spirit, however; she had no great power or ability. Chihiro blamed herself numerous times. They should not have separated! They should have stayed together! She was sure that if Scott or Rin had been with them then they would not have made this error. With this in mind, Chihiro had tried to put together a strategy for finding Linca. She and the nygel moved in ever increasing circles around their camp, ensuring they returned at least twice a day to eat and rest. Chihiro and the nygel rarely left each other; even when she flew, the nygel kept pace below her, despite the heat of the days. Over time, Chihiro's suspicions increased that Kenshin was involved in Linca's disappearance. The nygel could not find any trace of her scent. Either she had been on the wing for more than 12 hours, or someone was masking her scent.

It was the evening of the third day when the nygel finally found her trail. An hour later, he and Chihiro cantered into an oasis. Palm trees and flowering bushes surrounded a pool of blue-black water that shimmered under the setting sun. The sandy ground surrounding the pool rose in small rounded hills that practically invited visitors to sit on them.

The nygel plunged into the pool. Chihiro knew that he would not have done this if the water was at all impure and she stooped to drink from the pool. She had barely had a mouthful when something shimmered on the water's rippling surface; a white reflection. Chihiro slowly straightened, afraid of what she would see. She looked across the pool. A woman sat there; white eyes and hair marked her unmistakably as Linca. Chihiro felt a rush of relief, but then a flutter of confusion. Something was wrong. She did not call out to her sister; she watched her for a moment.

Linca was sitting on the bank, her toes dipped into the water. She did not have a stitch of clothing on. At first Chihiro thought she was getting ready to bathe, but she could not see the sprite's discarded clothes anywhere. Linca was combing her blue fingers through her white hair and humming a haunting tune to herself. She sighed and looked around her. The white eyes passed right over Chihiro, as if she was not there. Linca sighed again and returned to finger combing her hair.

The nygel's snout poked out of the water; she could see the rest of him beneath the surface.

"It is not a curse, mistress," he whispered. "There is no magic at work here. She knows you are here, she just does not care."

"What do you mean?" asked Chihiro, also in a whisper.

"I have spoken to the spirit of this pool," continued the nygel. "The land spirit has been touched by a love talker."

Chihiro frowned; she was not familiar with that term. More of the equine head emerged from the water.

"Your sister was enticed here by a Ganconer, mistress," the nygel tried to explain. Chihiro was still none the wiser.

"I don't know what that is!" she hissed.

"It is a creature that kills by stealth," sighed the nygel. "There are very few of them left; I thought they were extinct."

Chihiro lowered herself to the water's edge and sat on the bank, keeping her attention on her sister as she listened to the nygel.

"It takes the form of a handsome male or female human. It is very charismatic and whispers sweet words into its prey's ears. Once it has seduced its target, it mates with it." Chihiro glowered at her sister; somehow she did not think Linca would have been very resistant. She may have even offered herself!

"Once mated with, the prey is abandoned. The love talker carries a drug in its sweat that is absorbed into its prey's skin. This drug is so potent that the prey will want for nothing else. They will not eat, sleep or drink until they are back in contact with the love talker."

"You mean Linca is addicted to the thing?" asked Chihiro.

"Yes," replied the nygel. "She will not move from where he parted from her until he returns. Without him she will wither away and eventually die. Her heart will break when she finally realises her lover has no intention of returning. Only once she is dead will? the Ganconer will return to devour her remains."

"That's evil!" hissed Chihiro.

"It's how it feeds," stated the nygel. "We all have to eat and the love talker does not take by force. If the land spirit had said "no" it would have left her immediately."

Chihiro sighed. There was little chance of Linca ever saying no to sex with a handsome male. The situation had Kenshin's fingerprints all over it. He had found a way to exploit Linca's weakness.

"So how do we cure her?" asked Chihiro.

"We don't," said the nygel carefully.

"What do you mean?" snapped Chihiro.

"There is no cure," he said softly.

"There has to be!" Chihiro squeaked.

"There is not," the nygel said simply. "Your sister has dug her own grave. It will take a few weeks, but she will die."

"That can't be true!" hissed Chihiro as she stood again, involuntarily grabbing the sword strapped to her side.

"_It is true,"_ said the sword in Chihiro's mind. _"One of the blades that made me has a memory of such a creature. There is no cure for the land spirit. Accept that her death is imminent and don't let her suffer."_

"What?" shrieked Chihiro.

"_End her __suffering; she __will thank you in the afterlife." _

Chihiro let go of the blade in disgust. That was not something she was willing to consider. She walked around the pool and carefully seated herself on the bank, a respectful distance from her sister.

"Hello, Chi," said Linca dreamily, still staring at her reflection. "Do you have a comb with you? I can't get the tangles out of my hair and I want to look my best for him."

Chihiro mumbled a negative and Linca tutted.

"Pity. I don't seem to be able to use my power at the moment; otherwise I would not be in such a state. He said he liked my hair..." The fact Linca seemed more concerned by her appearance than the mysterious loss of her power told Chihiro that Linca was not in her right mind.

To a spirit, their magical ability was not considered to be a blessing or a gift, it was thought of as essential. A spirit's power was as vital to them as a limb. If they lost their abilities they were practically considered disabled. That Linca was not in a total panic about the loss of her power meant she considered the loss of her lover as more devastating and debilitating.

"He will return soon," she said wistfully to her reflection. "He said he loved me; he is going to take me to his home. I will be safe there. When I am with him I forget everything else. If I stay by his side I will never feel lonely again." There it was again, Linca called the Ganconer 'he.' She probably did not even know his name. Names had power in the spirit world; many spells relied on knowing a person's name. The love talker was wise not to give his away.

Chihiro bit her lip. The love talker had seen Linca's pain and made her honey coated promises about taking it from her. She must have been very easy prey for him. Chihiro closed her eyes for a moment. She could not leave Linca alone. Without her power she was vulnerable to virtually everything! The love talker could very well return to discover something else had snatched its meal. Chihiro thought about moving Linca by force. The nygel could easily overpower her and then they could tie her up and...

"I'm not leaving," sighed Linca, as if reading Chihiro's thoughts. "I am waiting where he told me to. I would rather die than run the risk of missing his return." She said the words lightly but Chihiro knew she meant them. She would find a way back here or die trying. "You should go and find your mate," added Linca softly. "I don't want you here when he returns."

"How do you know he will come back?" snapped Chihiro, losing her temper at last. "You slept with him even though he never even gave you a name? That is not the start of a loving relationship Linca and you know it!"

"I don't need to know his name," said Linca with a chuckle. "He loves me and I can't bear the thought of being parted from him."

"That's not love," growled Chihiro. "That's dependency!"

"Well, you would know," said Linca with a smile. "You will go insane with longing if you are parted from Haku for too long and it is the same for him. I never understood why you agreed to bind yourselves so tightly to each other until now." Linca smiled at her reflection. "It is nice to need someone so much; there is no shame in it, only trust. I understand that now."

Chihiro glared into the water, fuming. She wanted to scream that what the love talker had done to Linca was a million miles from what she and Haku shared. But she guessed it was pointless. The sprite was infatuated and would not listen. Ripples on the pools surface momentarily distorted Linca's reflection. She looked up from combing her hair and fixed Chihiro with a chilling, white-eyed stare.

"I want you to leave," she said again. "I want to be happy and I will not tolerate your interference. You cannot offer me such a thing and your own happiness causes me to feel pain and envy." The sprite was silent for a moment as if to give her words time to sink in. "Leave now, Chi," she ordered firmly, then returned to her reflection in the now still water.

Slowly Chihiro moved away from her sister, biting the inside of her cheek viciously to stop hopeless tears spilling down her face. She was at a loss and had no clue how to proceed. Her quest was vital to the survival of both worlds, but she could not leave her sister. She wished she was harder of heart; that she could prioritise her quest over her family; but she could not. Kenshin must have known this too when he formulated this part of his plan. Her hand tightened on the hilt of her sword and one word suddenly filled her mind.

"ENEMY!"

Without even asking for permission, power flooded out from the sword and every nerve in her body tensed. She experienced the very unsettling sensation of having her body move without her consent. She pivoted on the balls of her feet, turning rapidly 180 degrees, drawing the sword smoothly as she did so. Chihiro blinked; the tip of the blade was now aimed at the neck of what had been sneaking up behind her. It had a roughly human shape that was mainly obscured by the fronds of a low growing palm tree. She could not make out any features in the growing darkness; the moon had not risen yet.

"What will you do?" asked a low, velvety smooth voice that seemed to ooze out from the shape. "How will you handle this challenge, human? How will you resolve this dilemma and not leave a stain on that pure soul you so desperately guard? Can you find a path that allows you to walk away from this unsullied? Whom will you choose to betray? Your sister? Or your mate and your holy quest?"

Anger flooded Chihiro's mind. She felt as if something in her had burst and poured acid into her veins. One word rolled from her tongue, sounding to her ears like the worst curse she had ever heard. Her sword tip wavered with the vitriol behind the word despite the sword still having control of her body.

"Kenshin," she hissed.


	46. Surrender

**Surrender**

Chihiro glanced sideways, trusting the sword in her hands to keep pointing at her enemy. The blade was growling in her mind like an enraged dog. She was concerned for Snaffu, worried the water-horse might try to defend her and get hurt. It was her that Kenshin had come for; she did not want to have her remaining companions harmed.

The pool the nygel had thrown himself into was covered by something. It took a moment for Chihiro to realise that the pool was now covered in a thick layer of ice. Kenshin had trapped the nygel underneath it. Strangely, this eased her mind slightly. She would not have to think about his safety.

She looked back at the shadow before her. She concentrated on getting her anger under control. She had to be able to use all her wits to survive this encounter.

"The sword is not necessary," Kenshin said evenly. "You know I cannot harm you directly." The sword snarled in her head, sounding very like Haku's old blade. It would not let her move.

"Interesting blade you have there," said Kenshin conversationally. "But it really should learn its place. You are the master, not it." A pale, long fingered hand, attached to a finely boned wrist, moved out of the shadows and curled around the top of the razor sharp blade. No blood bloomed on the creamy fingertips and the owner of the hand showed no sign that he had been cut. The sword howled, then fell silent. The hand let go and Chihiro suddenly became aware how heavy the sword she held actually was. The muscles in her arms and shoulders screamed at her. She yelped at the sudden pain and dropped the blade.

Now defenceless, she backed away from the shadowed form.

"What do you want?" she hissed. She reasoned that there was no point in insults or threats. Even weakened as he no doubt was from his gargantuan spell, he was still more powerful than she. All she could do was listen and hope she could find a way out of this situation. He spoke the truth; he could not hurt her directly. She rubbed her aching arms and waited for a response.

"I have an offer for you," said the silken-voiced shadow. "I credit you with enough sense to at least consider what I have to say." He stepped forward into the moonlight.

Chihiro's jaw dropped. She could not help it! Her mental picture of Kenshin had been so wrong! Midnight wisps of hair framed his face, the rest was pulled back into a neat braid that snaked down his back. The colour was such a deep black that it reflected no light at all. It really was the colour of the darkest night.

By contrast, his skin was alabaster white. If he had stood still for long enough, Chihiro thought she might mistake him for a marble statue. Just like Haku's skin, there was not a blemish, scar or imperfection to be found anywhere.

He was dressed simply, in beige trousers and tunic that looked as if they would blend perfectly with the landscape around him. He was tall; she realised she was having to tilt her chin up to look at his face. He was also barefoot, which made her skin crawl slightly. She hated it when Haku refused to wear shoes outside, even if he could ensure that no dirt would adhere to the soles of his feet.

It was his eyes that were most striking; grey, an odd colour. Chihiro had never seen a human or spirit with grey eyes. The eyes themselves, however, were emotionless. They showed nothing of what their owner was thinking or feeling. The only thing Chihiro could discern from those eyes was age. This spirit was truly ancient. Not even his mother's eyes held such a sense of antiquity. He had seen much and endured much. Chihiro could not help wondering what he thought when he looked at her. Did he see her as insignificant? Her life span was so brief compared to his that he should barely notice her. The only reason he now spoke to her was because she was an annoyance. A stinging insect he could not squash himself, but had to have others swat at for him. Chihiro smiled internally; she liked that idea. She schooled her features to try and match his stoic expression. She would remain calm! She must be able to think!

The spirit before her gave a mirthless smirk, exposing very white teeth.

"You are much more composed than you were at our last meeting. Perhaps this quest has..."

"Get to the point," Chihiro interrupted. "You have not come to philosophise about the value of my journey." The spirit's grin widened.

"Quite right," he agreed, then gracefully sank to the ground, crossing his legs.

"Please sit," he offered with a gesture to the ground opposite him. "There is no reason why we cannot treat each other civilly."

"You have shown little civility to me so far," said Chihiro as she sat. "Falling down the canyon was particularly memorable."

"A necessary evil, I assure you," said Kenshin without a hint of remorse. "I considered lethal measures, but decided it was better to slow your progress."

"Why?" asked Chihiro, suddenly interested. "If your minions had killed me it would have been to your advantage."

Kenshin nodded.

"I could not order your death, but I could have let it be known I did not care if you were killed either." The grey eyes did not move from her face. It was quite disconcerting. Chihiro was sure he was not blinking enough. "You are correct in saying that I would profit from your demise. With you gone I would have none to oppose me." He fell silent, still not glancing away for a moment. Chihiro wondered if he was trying to read her mind, then dismissed the idea. Very few spirits possessed such an ability and even fewer could read the minds of the unwilling. Haku could, but it cost him dearly and he disliked the sensations he experienced while attempting such a thing. He had said it was very easy to lose your own mind in the process. Add to this all the protection she carried... Kenshin was probably just trying to read her body language. He would use anything to keep her at a disadvantage, of that she was sure. She realised he had not actually answered her question, he had merely agreed with her point of view. He had almost diverted her from the topic. She met his stare; it was difficult, but she did it. She silently demanded an answer to her question. Why was she still alive?

After what seemed like an age, Kenshin smirked, then shrugged.

"My mother is a razor sharp tactician, despite her behaviour," he said at last. "She taught me everything I know abut strategy so I could be of use to her. She chose her weapon against me very well indeed. I am honour bound not to kill you, that is all I can say."

Chihiro rose an eyebrow. _Not killing_ was open to interpretation. _Not killing_ could mean placing her in a hibernation trance until she died of old age, or imprisoning her to the same end. He had also said he was _honour bound _not to kill her. If he decided not to be honourable then her life was forfeit. Her mind turned to other, more pressing concerns.

"Where is Haku?" she asked suddenly. Kenshin's smirk melted.

"He is alive; alive but weak. If you accept my proposal you can even see him."

Chihiro's heart leapt! Her mate! After all this time she could see him again! She took a deep breath and squashed her emotions. Kenshin was not going to reunite them for free.

"I will speak plainly," said the spirit, his velvety voice caressing her ears. "Your sister is doomed." Chihiro swallowed, her eyes flicking to Linca briefly. She was still combing her hair, using the now icy surface of the pool as her mirror. She did not seem at all concerned by the change in the water, nor the presence of a massively powerful spirit. She must have been able to sense he was near. She would often complain when Haku was not controlling his magical aura as he should. She claimed it gave her a headache. She had even punched him in the arm once over his "lack of consideration."

"There is no cure for what ails her," Kenshin continued, bringing Chihiro's attention back to him. "However, her need for her lover can be superseded by a higher calling."

"What do you mean?" whispered Chihiro, her heart lifting again.

"I mean I can replace her need for contact with the love-talker with a need to do something else. A duty she cannot ignore. This will maintain her will to live."

"You can keep her alive?" asked Chihiro, sceptical.

"I can," he replied firmly. "She will not be exactly the same as she once was, but while she lives there is hope for a cure." Kenshin glanced briefly to the sprite. "But if she dies then..." He left the statement hanging.

Chihiro's jaw clenched. She knew that he would not be offering her this hope for free.

"So, what do you want from me in return?" she asked. "You orchestrated this situation... You must have done it to get me into a position where I would be willing to listen to your offer."

Kenshin shrugged elegantly.

"I may not be able to harm you while you quest so diligently against me, but your companions are another matter." The mirthless smirk came back to his lips.

"I once said that the next time we met I would be accepting your unconditional surrender. Well that has turned out to be partly true."

Chihiro frowned, he certainly liked to play with words.

"You mean that if I don't surrender to you then you will let Linca die?" she asked softly.

"Yes," he replied simply. "I will also ensure your nygel will be trapped under that ice for a century. It is very simple for me to make ice that will not melt." Chihiro's heart stilled. The nygel had been a loyal companion to her. He did not deserve such a fate.

Kenshin leant forward. He rested his chin on his hands and his elbows on his legs. The grey eyes regarded her coolly. "If those facts do not sway you, think of my earlier words. I intend to return you to your mate." Chihiro tried not to react to this, but she felt her lip tremble slightly and her eyes mist. "The separation symptoms must now be getting very uncomfortable for you both. Just being in one another's presence again will ease all the anguish you feel."

Kenshin's smirk broadened and sharp white teeth peeped at her. For a moment he looked truly demonic. Chihiro shuddered. "A father should be with his mate when she is carrying his offspring." Chihiro's heart wailed at his words. He was right! Her mate should be at her side. But the cost? Kenshin held his head on one side, as if interested in the emotions that flickered across her face. "What can you do alone, little human?" he asked in a gentle tone. "You are without power and have no plan from this point forward. Did you even prepare yourself for our meeting?" A black eyebrow rose above his left eye in question.

"Of course I did!" Chihiro snapped, but her anger drained away almost instantly. It was pointless getting angry. She glanced once more at her sister. She knew what Kenshin said was no bluff. He would let her die if Chihiro did not give into him. He also had made another valid point. What did she do now? She had just wanted to get here, now that she was, what did she do? "This all went very differently in my head," she murmured. Chihiro could have sworn she saw a brief flash of sympathy on the face of her nemesis, or what looked like sympathy... His eyes still remained as cold and dead as iron.

"I am sure it did," he sighed. "Unfortunately, this is no fairy tale. There is no rescue; no-one is coming to aid you. There are lives riding on your choices. The lives of people you love. What is that when weighed against my plans for this world? You can save those you care about or continue with the idiocy you have been forced to follow and quite probably fail." His almond shaped eyes widened and she was treated to the full force of his cold stare. "If you do fail then both those you love and the faceless people you quest to save will perish. From a purely logical point of view, you have but one option." He sat back and his eyes narrowed, as if considering her. "Just because the heroine has faced many dangers and surmounted them all, does not mean she will succeed in the end. This is reality, where the kind and the courageous have to make decisions they would rather not."

Chihiro swallowed. Again, what he said was true. As harsh as it was, it was still truth. No one was going to save her. She had to do the best she could on her own. She moistened her lips.

"Are you willing to let me set the terms of my surrender?" she asked in what she hoped was a strong voice.

"I am," replied Kenshin in a neutral tone. "What are your terms?"

"Neither myself nor my companions can be harmed by you or your minions."

Kenshin merely nodded in agreement.

"You will treat any you take prisoner fairly and keep them in good conditions."

"I have no intention of imprisoning you," scoffed Kenshin. "You will be free to move around my home as you please. As will your sister. The water-horse will be set free. The desert is no place for such a creature."

Chihiro frowned. Kenshin must be either very confident in his abilities or just plain arrogant. How could he possibly think she would not try to sabotage his plans if she had the freedom of his home? Perhaps that arrogance would be his undoing? A small hope was rekindled within her. She may still be able to fulfil her quest after all! She tried not to smile. At times it was good to be underestimated. She continued to name her terms.

"You will release my mate..."

"That I will not do," he interrupted her sharply. "He is an integral part of my plan and I need to keep him from opposing me." Then his tone lightened. "I will let you visit him. When the spell is complete you will both have your freedom. I swear that on my own life." He gave her a hard look. "I know what you hope for, human. I am not being careless, I know you will not act against me within my home. Cling to your hopes if you wish, but they serve only to delude you."

"_There is still a chance!"_ she thought at him defiantly. _"Even if I can't think of something then Haku will! It is a mistake to let me see him! We can overcome whatever protection you have devised for your spell!"_ She was troubled, however, by the fact her nemesis was even considering her comfort. If she had been in his position she would have locked up her adversary and kept them guarded until the mission was complete. Even so, could she perhaps exploit the weakness he had for her, or was he deliberately letting her think that?

Outwardly she showed none of her thoughts and tried to copy his elegant shrug, as if dismissing his words.

"Do we have an accord?" he asked, raising both black eyebrows.

"Almost," she said, locking her gaze with his. "I want proof of your word. I don't trust you."

He actually laughed. It was not a pleasant sound.

"Very wise," he chuckled. He rose in a fluid movement. Chihiro remained seated, watching him warily. She scrambled to her feet when she realised he was moving towards Linca. The sound of his approach roused the sprite from her stupor. She turned to look up at him.

"You're pretty, but you are not him," she said blandly. Kenshin smirked.

"No, I am not him," he said gently. "But I know where he is."

The effect his words had on Linca was almost immediate. She jumped to her feet, completely unaware of the effect this had on her anatomy. Kenshin had the decency to ignore her state of undress. She clung to his chest, fisting the fabric of his tunic in her hands.

"Where is he? Can you tell him I love him? I'm still waiting here like he asked!"

"I can contact him," replied the spirit, lying so smoothly that Chihiro almost believed him too. "Whisper to me what you want to say to him and I will pass on your message."

The look of elation that covered Linca's features made Chihiro wince. The sprite rose onto her toes, shamelessly pressing her naked body against her would be errand boy. Kenshin bent his head so her lips could reach his ear. He rested his long fingered hands on her bare shoulders. Chihiro realised he had distracted Linca so he could hold her still. She felt a change in the air. She could almost taste the magic in the atmosphere. Her head swam and she had to ensure her feet were firmly placed. She felt like she would faint! There was a bright flash and Chihiro had to shield her eyes. The Tac'tal burned at her throat in warning. The spirit that had just cast a spell was incredibly strong.

When her vision cleared she saw Linca kneeling before Kenshin. She was dressed in a white, shapeless dress with a frayed hem that brushed her heels. It was the garb of servitude.

Kenshin spoke.

"Spirit, you abandoned your quest and abandoned your sister. For that I sentence you to a year and a day of servitude in your sister's name. The natural laws have accepted my judgement." He paused, glancing down at her in disgust. "As you are a weak creature and may try to escape this sentence, I add to this an extra condition. I remove from you all forms of communication. You will not speak, write or gesture in an effort to make yourself understood. I will not have you burdening your sister with your self inflicted sorrows. You will suffer with your addiction in silence and serve your new mistress's every whim."

"What are you doing?" cried Chihiro. "I did not ask you to..."

"She now has a purpose," said Kenshin, patting Linca's bowed head as if she was a valued pet. "She must serve you, therefore she must live. If I allowed her to communicate she would eventually persuade you into freeing her from her servitude so she can pursue her lover and feed her addiction. As she is now, she will serve with no complaint. This will keep her alive and close to you, despite her craving."

Chihiro could understand the logic of what he had done but that did not mean she liked what had been done to her sister. From this day forward until the servitude ended or Chihiro could find a cure, Linca would be an unwilling slave. Forced to serve when she yearned to find the man whom she craved. Chihiro comforted herself that Haku might have some insight into Linca's condition; he was very well read. Or even Yubaba might know something. Chihiro supposed she would be meeting the witch again soon.

This brought her thoughts back to her own situation.

Kenshin extended a hand towards her.

"I have saved your sister and accepted the majority of your terms. I have proven that I am honourable and will uphold my end of this bargain between us. Now, will you uphold yours?"

Chihiro pursed her lips. He had saved Linca. It was time to capitulate. He still held her mate and the nygel captive. She could fight no more.

"_Discretion is the better part of valour_," she reminded herself. "_I have run out of options_." She approached her nemesis and allowed him to take her hand. His skin was soft, but cold.

"I surrender to you," she whispered. Kenshin's face remained emotionless.

"Thank you," he said softly. "You have made the correct choice." He cocked his head and a chilling smile touched his lips. "This is worthless now, but I will say it anyway. I am sorry." Chihiro opened her mouth to say she did not care for his apology, but then the darkness descended. She felt herself fall, and she felt hands catch her.

"I am truly sorry," his velvet voice echoed in her ears. It was the last thing she heard before she lost all awareness.


	47. Oblivions Kiss

**Oblivions Kiss**

Haku woke with a start.

At first, the tingling sensation in his spine puzzled him. Had he slept awkwardly? He had been pulling at the fibres of the barrier between himself and his power until he passed out... again. He could have been lying on the top of his head for hours and not felt the discomfort till he woke! He rolled over and pawed the collar at his neck for the thousandth time. He had lost count of the days long ago; his existence had narrowed to eating, sleeping and working on the barrier. He could not even remember the last time he had spoken a word to those who tended to him. Such things were not needed. All that mattered was smashing through Kenshin's sealing spell.

He was encouraged by his recent progress. The hole in the barrier had widened from a pin prick of weakness in the weave of the spell to something around the size of a pin head. The amount of power he could access was still woefully small, but it all helped. The more he was able to access, the more he could pour into the task. He reasoned that saving it was pointless. Any reserves he managed to gather would be taken the next time his power was harvested.

The rate of the drain on him had increased recently. The Night Wind obviously needed more from his captive to supplement his dwindling resources. Haku sighed and tried to sit upright. It took two attempts, but he managed eventually to straighten up. His eyes flicked around the cell. It was night; he had been out for hours.

The tingling in his spine suddenly shuddered upwards, slamming into his head like an electric shock. The sensation left him trembling like a newborn. What was wrong with him? There was a nagging pull at the back of his mind. He had felt this before...

Suddenly he gasped. He was on his feet before he even contemplated moving. He strained at the chain around his waist, his eyes locked onto the top left hand corner of the ceiling of his cell. He knew that was the direction, as sure as his lungs knew how to breathe. His eyes followed the direction the feeling originated from. It passed right over him. When he was staring straight upwards, it paused, as if realising he could detect it.

"Little one," he breathed, his voice barely audible from lack of use. "He has you."

The sensation moved on, finally vanishing when it reached the corner of the cell behind him. Haku passed a shaking hand over his face and grunted when he realised that both his hand and face were wet. He had been crying? He had been concentrating so much on what he felt he had not even noticed. He blinked the tears away and cleared his vision. If Chihiro was in the building there was no way Kenshin could be unaware of her. He may have even brought her here himself. That brought another shiver, this time down Haku's spine. It was a chilling thought. Haku gritted his teeth; anger suddenly flooded his mind.

"Stupid, stubborn, idiotic..!" But the emotion faded quickly. There was nothing to be gained by getting angry at his mate. She had made her decision against his will, he had to accept that. That did not mean he had to like it and he knew he had every right to feel anger. She had endangered herself and their child! But the emotion was pointless. He realised his incarceration had taught him many harsh lessons and one of them was patience. He would continue with his plan; it was the only way he could help her now. He sat with a sigh. Sometimes he envied the way he had been before he was imprisoned.

He had been elated to be reunited with his river after Chihiro had freed him and he had revelled in his new-found power. He had tired of it quickly, however, and grown bored. He had no purpose in life, no goal. He had almost put himself into a permanent hibernation trance, as Kenshin had, just to relieve the monotony. He had lived as a non-bonded spirit for years; his days needed structure and activity. It was something he had never needed as a bonded spirit, where the majority of tasks were carried out on a mental level. His river could not understand his complaint, they were reunited, he should be content. But he was not.

The Lady breaking into his home and berating him for idleness had been a blessing. Her giving him a management role at the bathhouse was not such a mystery anymore. Now he had more access to his power, his instincts had sharpened slightly. He was sure that the goddess and his captor were mother and son. Perhaps she had not wanted to see yet another powerful spirit absent himself from existence as her son had. There were so few of them left. Perhaps she also felt some guilt that she had let her son slip into oblivion. Haku had thought the spirit dead, if he was honest. To find himself in the clutches of one so powerful had been a shock. He should have guessed at Kenshin's lineage sooner. A powerful spirit would have at least one powerful parent. Why she had let her son go, he did not know, but as son was now clearly acting against mother, it was apparent they were a less than happy family.

He shook his head. No matter what his motives, Kenshin now had Chihiro in his possession. Haku was sure the spirit would not harm her, just as he had said. What connected them was an enigma, but after considering the issue, Haku was fairly sure Kenshin had no romantic interest in his mate. It was merely a gut feeling, but he trusted it. He had experience with spirits coveting Chihiro during the mating season. He had felt uncomfortable in their presence, as if the atmosphere around them conveyed a warning that only he could detect. Kenshin gave him no such warning, however, Haku did acknowledge that as he was cut off from his power then his instincts were compromised. What made him suspect that the spirit's intentions towards his mate were more than they appeared to be was the fact that Kenshin had "accidentally" confessed his feelings to Haku during their last conversation. Haku was humble enough to admit he may have let such a detail slip if their roles were reversed, but the same could not be said for his captor. He was vastly older and immeasurably more experienced. Haku frowned. Simply trying to puzzle out the spirit's motivation was giving him a headache. One thing he knew with certainty was that the spirit was trying to manipulate him into aiding him. Haku was unsure if he was cooperating or not; he had thought he had remained reasonably defiant, but perhaps that was what the Night Wind wanted him to think?

Haku growled to himself; this was pointless! What did it matter if Kenshin was smarter than he was? Regardless of how brilliant a tactician his captor was, no being was infallible. Haku would not be steadily gaining his power back if the Night Wind was unbeatable.

Haku sat slowly and he attacked the barrier with renewed vigour. Nothing mattered but getting free. He would save his mate from her nemesis and when she was safe he would kill the one who had dared to try and keep them apart. His little one would probably not approve, but she would understand.

"That is," said a nasty voice within him, "If she remembers you at all!" Haku squeezed his eyes shut. He had to hope for the best. If he did not then what was the point in fighting? He took a deep breath and blotted out his cell and all thoughts of the peril his mate might face. He had a task to complete.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chihiro was more than a little in awe of Kenshin's home. She woke to find herself stretched out on a very comfortable pile of black silk cushions. Linca was sitting by her side. Chihiro was overjoyed to see her and hugged her with a little cry of delight. The hug she received in return was weak, barely there at all. Chihiro sat back and looked at her sister. The white eyes had searched her face, as if trying to tell her something. All Chihiro could detect was deep sadness in those milky eyes. Linca was suffering greatly.

Chihiro snatched her sister's hand and promised she would find a cure for her cravings as soon as she could. The sprite did not even nod in acknowledgement of the pledge. Instead, she stood and moved back a few paces. It was then that Chihiro noticed the rest of her surroundings. If Linca had not been blue skinned, she would have been lost against the white marble that the entire room was composed of. The walls and floor sparkled and gleamed under the sunlight that hammered down from the desert sky above. There could be no more fitting ceiling to grace the alabaster hall than that harsh blue, cloudless sky. The room was truly beautiful. There were columns around the edge of the room that, with no ceiling to support, were purely decorative. Something else caught her attention. It was thin and also white in colour. It vanished into the sky. Her gaze followed it downward to its source. She was not surprised to see that it originated in the room she was seated in.

She struggled off the cushions and made her way to the only other coloured object in the room, a chair. Or was it a throne? It was rather a modest one if it was a throne. It looked like a large block of black marble from which a seat had been roughly carved, though it had been highly polished afterward. She first thought the light in the sky was coming from the throne, but as she approached she realised there was something behind it. She gave a little gasp at what she saw.

"Linca!" she exclaimed. "This is it!" The sprite made no move to indicate she had been addressed. Chihiro frowned, then realised the full implications of the conditions Kenshin had placed on her servitude.

"_I remove from you all forms of communication. You will not speak, write or gesture in an effort to make yourself understood. I will not have you burdening your sister with your self-inflicted sorrows. You will suffer with your addiction..."_

That meant Linca was not only mute, but she could not nod, shake her head or even shrug. She was trapped in a body that could be ordered to serve, but she was denied any way to make her own thoughts and feelings understood. It was like a waking coma. Chihiro bit her lip. It was too cruel! Kenshin could have put Linca in a hibernation trance!

"_He needs her for something,"_ Chihiro realised. _"She would not be with me if she was not useful to him in some way." _

Chihiro turned back to the object before her. Mounted on a tripod of shiny metal was a massive ball of black rock. It was pure obsidian, she was sure. So much of the powerful stone in one place meant she was looking at the heart of Kenshin's spell. Mounted on top of the ball was a golden lump. It took Chihiro a moment to realise she was looking at what was left of Zeniba's seal. The witch would be furious if she knew her seal had been destroyed as well as stolen. The ball and seal glowed red periodically, like the pulsing of a heart, but the light shooting into the sky remained white.

"If I can just..." Chihiro took a step forward, not sure what she planned to do, but if she could perhaps just push it over, or snatch the blob that was now the seal... A hand grabbed hers and yanked her backwards. Linca glared at her sister, telling her very eloquently, without words, that she was being idiotic.

"You're right," Chihiro sighed. "He would not have left us here unsupervised if we were any threat to it." Linca's lips thinned. Chihiro hoped that meant the sprite agreed with her.

"You are surprisingly astute, human," said a voice that gave Chihiro the shivers. Kenshin stepped from behind a white column across the hall. He had an amused smirk on his lips, but his eyes were still emotionless. "However, I would not place you in a room that contained something that was a danger to you either," he said lightly. His grey eyes fixed on Linca.

"Sprite, try to destroy my spell," he ordered. Linca's eyes widened, but she could not refuse. Chihiro watched anxiously as Linca ran at the ball and attempted to push it over. She guessed her sister was still without her power as she did not try to cast a spell. The tripod and ball remained unmoved. The light that arced into the sky did not waver. Linca remained unharmed, even though she pushed with all her might.

"Enough!" commanded Kenshin and a lightly perspiring Linca returned to Chihiro's side. "The only person who can move this spell is its creator. It answers to no one else."

Chihiro's heart sank a little. He was trying to show her how powerless she was by letting her recover in this room. It was a tactic that was working; she did feel demoralised.

Suddenly Kenshin turned away from them, his jet black braid snaking down his back with the momentum of the sharp movement.

"Follow me," he ordered. Both women stood still. Kenshin glanced back over his shoulder. "Remain if you wish, but your breakfast will not be served to you in my hall."

Chihiro grumbled to herself, but she followed and Linca fell into step beside her. They left the marble hall and entered a maze of dark corridors built from yellow stone. The corridors had a much more utilitarian feel to them, as if the shining hall they had left had been the architect's only extravagance. The rest of the building looked as if it might be distinctly lacking in luxury. At the fifth or perhaps the sixth turn Kenshin paused. He pointed down yet another dim corridor.

"Your new mistress's quarters are the third door on the right," he said tonelessly to Linca, before handing her a key. "I charge you with taking care of Chihiro's needs. Everything in this fortress is at your disposal. Take whatever supplies you need, none will prevent you." A smirk returned to his lips. "Unless you try to get into the armoury, that is," he chuckled, but his face rapidly became serious again. "I will send a maid to aid you for the first few days of this appointment, she will show you around. After that, you will be the only one responsible for Chihiro." He gave the sprite a chilling smile. "I am sure that no one else will serve Chihiro as enthusiastically as her own sister will." Linca's eyes blazed with barely repressed rage. She gripped the key tightly and stalked down the corridor.

Chihiro frowned.

"You are being deliberately cruel to her," she accused. Kenshin raised a black eyebrow at her.

"I find her attitude objectionable, that is all," he said mildly. "She resents you for saving her and prolonging her suffering. She also resents herself because it was her weakness that put you into a position that meant you had to surrender to me." Kenshin shrugged. "She should accept responsibility for her error with good grace and see her suffering as part of her penance." He turned again and continued onwards, obviously not requiring a response from her.

Chihiro clenched her fists. She had never envisioned her nemesis as having a childish streak. He was goading Linca simply because he could. He saw her as feeble and so he could toy with her. Like a cat with an injured bird. She followed him with dragging steps, then realised he was talking.

"I must apologise for rendering you unconscious, but a teleportation spell was not an option open to me. I had to use a more abrupt method of transportation and it was better if you slept through it."

Chihiro refused to ask how she had been moved, if he really wanted her to know then he would tell her. She did not want to show interest in what he had to say. She was his captive, not his companion.

They stopped at a large metal studded wooden door at the end of yet another corridor. Kenshin opened it to reveal the room beyond. There was very little in it apart from a large wooden table surrounded by benches. There were not even windows in the yellow stone walls.

"I take my leave of you now," Kenshin said simply. "You will be given food and I will meet you after to discuss your stay in this fortress."

"What is the point in that?" asked Chihiro sharply. "I'm your prisoner, I have no say in the conditions you deem appropriate to keep myself or my mate in."

Kenshin smirked at her.

"Actually, I expect you will have many questions for me later today and I will do my best to answer them." He bowed shallowly then left.

Chihiro walked into the depressingly dim room and sat down at the table. She wondered at the lack of windows. What was the point of living in the desert if you hardly saw the sun? She supposed there was a military reason behind it. She looked above her. Oddly the ceiling was made of a thick metal grill. She could see glimpses of the floor above her through the gaps. It looked to be empty. She drummed her fingers on the rough wooden table. She really was getting hungry. She thought perhaps that Kenshin had lied about his promise to let her see Haku. He could very easily have said it to make her more amenable to the idea of surrender.

There was a rattle of metal above her. She squinted upwards. A door opened in the room above and something entered through it. It was HUGE! The grate above her shook with its every step! Chihiro made to move to the edge of the room. Though the grate looked sturdy she did not want to be underneath the massive thing above her.

Her legs would not move; her eyes bulged with horror. She was trapped in a holding spell! Her heart stilled momentarily, then beat so rapidly it threatened to burst from her chest. Every instinct told her that she was about to be in very deep trouble. She had to move! But she could not!

"_He lied to me!"_ her brain screamed. _"He's going to kill me!"_ A calmer part of her mind assured her that this was not true. There were laws stopping him killing her. He would lose everything if he killed her while she was on a holy quest. She had been told so many times. The majority of her, however, was convinced she was about to be "accidentally" squashed by some great beast. It was not a regular assassination technique, granted, but it would be effective. The grill shook with every step the beast took. She could not even protect her eyes from the fine flecks of rust and dust that showered down on her. Her eyes stung and watered.

The steps halted directly above her head. Something snuffled the grate. Chihiro could see something pink and glistening through the gaps above. Whatever it was it had a large flat snout. The thing made a noise. It took Chihiro's shocked mind a moment to process what she heard.

"_Moo?"_ she thought incredulously. _"That's a cow up there?"_ Her heart slowed a little. Death by cow just did not sound right.

A second set of steps rang out above her, lighter and sharper than the lumbering bovine's. The cow made a happy noise of recognition. A voice mumbled soothingly to it. Chihiro strained her ears, but she could not work out what the unfamiliar voice said. Then there was silence for a brief moment, followed by an almighty bellow from the cow. It stomped and scraped its hooves on the metal. Chihiro trembled; what was going on? Something wet dripped onto her upturned face. It was warm. It was rapidly followed by several other drips. There was a shuddering crash above her and then more ominous silence. The drips were now hitting her tunic, the warm thick liquid made her skin crawl.

"Human," said a hushed voice above her. "My master gives you the gift of oblivion. You will live on in ignorance." There was a sound like tearing cloth, rapidly followed by a deluge of red liquid falling from the grate above. It hit her full in the face. She was blinded immediately, not even able to blink. She would have screamed, but her mouth was clamped shut and her vocal chords were as paralysed as the rest of her. Some got into her nose, she tried to snort it out, but the flow continued to pelt down on her face. The liquid ended up running into her throat, making her gag and choke.

"_I'm going to drown!"_ she thought in panic. Then the taste of the liquid registered on her tongue. Metal, iron... blood. It was blood she was drowning in. Someone had killed the poor cow and was letting it bleed all over her. Her mouth filled with bile, but she could not spit it out. She swallowed it and the blood in her throat and mouth. She immediately felt sick. There was a frightened little shudder at the back of her mind, her daughter was terrified!

"_I'm sorry!"_ Chihiro's mind wailed. _"I'll get us out of this!"_ The blood stopped as if someone had shut off a tap. Chihiro remained within the holding spell's grip, shuddering and snorting blood from her nose.

The door to her room opened and there were splashing footsteps through what she could only assume was now a massive puddle of blood on the floor. Something soft was pressed to her face, wiping her nose clear. Cold liquid, she assumed was water was poured over her blinded eyes, clearing them. She could just make out Kenshin's face through her watery retinas. She still could not blink.

"I did say I was sorry," said the air spirit's beguilingly beautiful voice. "This is the only way I can keep you safe and continue with my plan." His face loomed closer. "I give you the gift of oblivion," he whispered. "You will be able to rest now." He ran his fingers through her blood soaked hair. "There will be no quest, just peace, for you and your child."

His breath puffed hotly against her skin.

"I set you free; you will no longer be a tool of my cursed mother." Chihiro nearly fainted when his lips parted slightly and pressed to her own. He was kissing her! She hardly had time to contemplate this when she felt magic crackle around them. There was pain, a throbbing pain in her skull that obliterated everything. She would have clutched her head and yelled if she was able. Why couldn't she move? Someone was stoking her hair, telling her the pain would be over in a moment. How did he know? Who was he anyway? Something was clamouring for attention, the only thing that really broke through the mind numbing pain... She tried to concentrate on it. Two words echoed through the agony before they were also swallowed by it.

"_I help!"_

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Kenshin dismissed his holding spell on the blood soaked woman. She groaned and fell towards him. He caught her and held her against him, whispering comforting words and cleaning the bloody strands of her hair from her face. It was a painful process, but mercifully a short one. Moments later, warm brown eyes were staring uncomprehendingly up at him. He could not help smiling. There was no hate or anger in those eyes, just confusion.

"Who am I?" he asked her softly. The human in his arms blinked and frowned, finally she shook her head.

"My name is Kenshin," he said as gently as he could. He stroked her face, trying to smear as much of the blood from her as he could before it dried. "I am going to take care of you. You are family to me." The brown eyes lit up with recognition.

"Family?" she whispered.

"Yes," he chuckled. "I guess you could call me your grandfather, though things are more complicated than that." The human nodded, not even questioning him. "You have been very sick," he continued. "That's why you can't remember anything." Again, she accepted his words. He felt a delighted thrill course through him. She really would believe all he told her! Even so, he would try not to lie to her; it would make his life much less difficult in the long run. Lies he told would have to be remembered and he had enough to think about presently.

"Your name is Chihiro," he said softly.

"I'm your granddaughter?" she asked, uncertainly. He nodded, smiling down at her encouragingly. She smiled back and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't feel very well," she sighed.

"You'll feel better soon," he promised. "First we need to get your servant to give you a bath. Then you will eat breakfast with me and I will answer any questions you may have." She nodded into his chest and he lifted her up, carrying her from the blood drenched room.

"Thank you," she murmured. Kenshin did not reply. She was his now, he had made his mother's tool his tool. He briefly experienced a feeling akin to euphoria. He repressed it ruthlessly. This was a minor victory. Until the worlds were one and his mother ceased to exist there was no reason for him to celebrate in his achievement. He looked at the human in his arms. That did not mean he could not enjoy some of the benefits of his small victory. After all, she was a great improvement on Yubaba!

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Yay! I update, this will probably be my last chapter before I give birth folks so I have no idea when the next will be. Happy new year to you all!


	48. Living in Ignorance

**Living in ignorance**

Chihiro hummed to herself happily as she busied herself around the kitchen. She did not like to be idle, so she was cooking something for herself and her grandfather. Her servant was helping her as she could not remember how to cook at all. Cutting and peeling vegetables did feel familiar, however, and it calmed her. She needed to stay calm or she could have a relapse and no one wanted that, least of all her. Her silent servant never left her side. The white haired, blue skinned woman was a bit odd. It was not just that she could not talk that bothered Chihiro, it was that the woman never made a sound, not even a sigh. Then there was the nodding thing. Even though she could not speak, Chihiro had reasoned she would find other ways to communicate. She had spent half an hour standing before her servant, saying "yes" and "no" and shaking and nodding her head. Apart from feeling like a complete idiot, Chihiro had discovered her servant either could not or would not repeat the gestures. She simply stood there, staring at Chihiro with her sad white eyes, just as she always did.

Chihiro could not understand! If she asked her servant to do something then she did it. This was not a case of stupidity or lack of understanding. A few days later, Chihiro had decided to teach her servant to write. It was one of the few things Chihiro remembered and so she was pleased she might be able to pass on one of her few remaining skills. The lesson did not go well. Her servant would not even hold a brush. Her pale blue fingers had trembled and she had stared angrily at Chihiro. Eventually Chihiro had given up and looked for her grandfather.

"I don't think she likes me very much," she had muttered during dinner that night. Her grandfather was a very busy person, but he always shared his meals with her. He had patted her head gently and told her that her servant was suffering from an illness, just like she was. She was not happy, but it was not Chihiro's fault.

"You are the best of friends," he had reassured her. "Like family. You love her very much."

She decided to be patient with her servant. After all, the woman had helped her through the last two weeks. It was two weeks ago she remembered her servant washing blood from her body and putting her to bed. They had been together ever since. The first few days had been very bewildering and distressing. The only things she had to cling to during that time were her servant and her grandfather.

There was an ugly old woman who had visited to give her medicine to help her sleep. It did not stop her dreaming though. The dreams were very strange. She often found herself in a cave made of black rock that had a large lake in it. She kept having the feeling she was being watched, even though she could not see anyone. Last night she had decided to be brave and approach the lake. She had peered into the water that lapped at her feet and had seen a pair of green eyes staring back at her from the depths. She had woken screaming. Her servant had held her until she had stopped weeping. She did not know why she was crying exactly, she had not been afraid of the water, but the tears fell regardless. The old woman, Yubaba, as she had introduced herself, had been called for and given her something to make her sleep.

Chihiro felt better now, but she knew she was far from cured. There were odd marks on her arms and a scar on the back of one hand that would throb painfully from time to time. She also vomited on occasion. She was generally feeling better though; she was not constantly perplexed anymore.

A shadow spirit drifted through the kitchen, shaking her from her thoughts. It was delivering more vegetables. Chihiro smiled at it. They had frightened her at first, but now she knew what gentle creatures they were. Her grandfather had introduced her to many of them by name and she was beginning to be able to tell them apart. She was sure the one setting the box down on the counter was Moo-nee. He had blue flecks in the depths of his almost empty eye holes. Her servant began to wash the rice, reminding her she should be concentrating on her cooking.

She had thought about giving her servant a name, but the woman refused to respond to anything she had tried to call her. Chihiro suspected her servant was trying to get her to remember her real name. It was a useless exercise. Her grandfather had been very honest about what had happened to her.

"You have been very ill indeed," he had said gravely. "It has affected your brain. You will remember very little of your life before." She had hugged him and thanked him for saving her. He had chuckled and returned her embrace awkwardly. Chihiro suspected her grandfather did not receive many hugs. She supposed he could be intimidating to those who did not know him, but how could someone who had been so kind to her be scary?

She added her chopped carrots to the stew that was bubbling on the hob. Her hands hovered over the pot momentarily before she dropped them in. She had to be sure she was doing things right. Her servant looked up from her rice and rested one blue hand on Chihiro's arm. Chihiro took this as approval. Carrots now in the pot, her servant handed her a spoon. The white haired woman demonstrated that Chihiro should stir the mixture, then she moved back to her own work. Chihiro pulled a face behind her back. Her servant was always so graceful, it was annoying!

Chihiro wandered what else her stew should have in it. She wanted it to be as nutritious as possible. Her grandfather was not in good health either. He denied it, but she could tell he was in pain at times. He would tremble briefly and sometimes grunt and bite his lip. He was family, she had to look after him! He had told her she had parents, but they lived very far away and could not visit. She did not remember them so she did not feel the loss of them in her life. She did feel sad sometimes, however, for no real reason she could identify. She took these bouts of depression as further symptoms of her illness.

Onions went in the stew next. She found herself pondering again the story her grandfather had shared with her a few nights ago; her story.

She had sat before the fire in his quarters, glad of the heat. The desert nights were cold. He had given her a warm sake to drink and begun his tale. The fact he was a different species from her was a shock but he had proven his words by creating an orange coloured rose out of the glowing embers in the fire and giving it to her. She would have believed him anyway, but it was nice to have proof. He was old, very old, and he had had several lovers in that time. Chihiro had blushed at his words. She did not want to think about her grandfather like that! She may have forgotten much but she still knew what sex was!

He had laughed at her reaction, but continued. He had never kept a woman for long. He had always been busy and because he was a warrior he did not think it fair to himself or a lover to maintain a long term relationship. He would travel great distances frequently and there was always a chance he could be killed. There was one woman he had kept longer than the others. A succubus, to be exact. Chihiro had blushed again when he had explained what a succubus was. He had been enchanted by her and she did not seem to want to tie him to her, or so he thought. The relationship had ended amicably when he had left on yet another campaign for his mother. Chihiro got the impression he did not like his mother, his voice quivered slightly when he spoke of her. When he returned victorious he found his mother was in a towering rage. He could laugh about it now, but at the time he had been quite hurt.

"She did not even greet me, or welcome me back, she merely yelled at me, 'Who gave you permission to sire a bastard?'"

Chihiro had gasped. What a cruel way to find out you had a child. Her grandfather had assured his mother that he had taken every normal precaution and had had no intention of fathering a child.

"The strumpet had you completely fooled then," his mother snarled. "I know you are many things but I never thought you gullible. When your son is grown he will be quite within his rights to challenge us for leadership of the domain!"

"She ordered a search to find the child to ensure it was raised by us to be an ally, not a potential enemy. We never found him; his mother had completely concealed him from us." He had shrugged. "I was disappointed I could not raise him but I really did think him better off with his mother.

"I never met my son, but I heard of him once he was grown. My mother's fears proved unfounded. He never challenged us. He wandered the world, content with his own company for the most part. He gained a reputation for being wise and a legendary healer. I was proud of him, but he also could not help the less savoury aspects of his nature. He sired many children; within two centuries I was grandfather to 52 grandchildren, none of which I would ever meet."

Chihiro thought this sad. Grandfather was so kind, any of his grandchildren would have been privileged to know him.

"More time passed and I gave up keeping track of my expanding family. That was until I met one of my great great great grandchildren."

"Wow!" Chihiro had gasped.

"She was a pretty little girl with a nose for trouble," he chuckled. "You've met her yourself. She lives in this fortress."

"Yubaba?" exclaimed Chihiro, hardly believing she could be right. She looked so much older and uglier, and yet she was his distant grandchild?

He laughed at her expression and nodded. "I stumbled upon her in a woodland in the northern plains. I was in one of my wandering phases. I knew she carried my blood as soon as I met her... She tried to curse me!"

Chihiro could not help laughing.

"I never told her, of course," he said, smirking at her, he then winked conspiratorially. "It's a secret."

Chihiro had felt humbled he would share a secret with her.

"I found out later that Yubaba had a twin sister. They fell foul of my mother and were cursed with ugliness and the appearance of great age. It was then that I learnt that Zeniba had loved a human. I now had relatives in the human world."

"Like me!" Chihiro had exclaimed excitedly.

"We are only very distantly related," he pointed out. "The proportion of my blood that is in you is tiny, but we are still family as far as I am concerned."

Chihiro had fallen asleep by the fire and awoke some time later to find herself in her grandfather's bed and her grandfather asleep in a chair by the fire. She remembered studying him. He was beautiful to look at, though deathly pale. He looked as if he had lost weight recently too. The skin on his face was stretched over very fine bones but his cheeks looked a little hollow. His eyes always looked ancient. Now they were closed, the centuries should have dropped away from him, but his body was showing signs of some sort of strain. These observations had sparked her recent interest in cooking. It was the least she could do!

The smell coming from the pot before her made her stomach growl. She could have got a snack for herself, but she did not want to ruin her appetite. She hovered over the stew until it was ready and her servant spooned it over rice in two bowls she had prepared. Chihiro cheerfully thanked her and carried the bowls down the corridor, one in each hand. She counted the twists and turns of the corridor in her head. It was very easy to get lost in the fort; it was designed that way so that anyone who got in that might not be friendly would be at a big disadvantage.

A few minutes later she stood before the door to her grandfather's quarters. He would be surprised! He was not due to eat with her for another hour. She hoped he liked the food; it had taken two hours to prepare. She pushed the door open slightly with her foot, then paused. There were voices. She made to back away, not wanting to intrude, but then she heard her name. She froze.

"Are you suggesting that I don't know where to draw the boundaries?" said her grandfather's voice.

"I am suggesting you are far too comfortable with your new pet," said Yubaba's voice. "You know as well as I do that your company is not enough for her. The symptoms are managed for now, but they will return and be more severe."

"So you are accusing me of cruelty?" asked Kenshin. "That is hardly justified. It is because I pity her position that I went to the trouble to find a way to free her from her obligations. I do not have to treat her as dangerous now. I can welcome her as my family. I have a duty to try and do at least that much."

"But you cannot free her from her bond," said Yubaba sharply. "He knows she is here; it has made him more determined than ever! If she does not have contact with him soon she may start to become unstable and he will..."

"She has been stable for over a week," said Kenshin sharply, cutting off the witch's words. "What you are proposing would only confuse her at this stage. It may be just as damaging as the separation symptoms."

The old woman sighed and grunted. "You asked for my opinion, now you have it. If you really want her to remain healthy and in your full control then you must find a way to accommodate the bond."

"I thank you for your advice," he sighed in return. "I am sure you are..." He stopped speaking.

Chihiro cringed. He must know she was there.

"I take it that delicious smell has something to do with where you have been all morning," he said at last. "Don't keep me waiting; come in." Chihiro winced, she felt like she was being scolded even though there was no reproach in his words or voice. She walked in and inclined her head to both occupants.

"For...forgive me," she begged of the witch. "I did not know you would be here. There is plenty of stew left in the kitchen, I did not mean to exclude..."

"No need to apologise" said the witch dismissively. "I was just leaving." She turned and brushed past Chihiro on her way out.

Kenshin sighed.

"We were discussing your treatment," he explained, holding his hand out for a bowl. "I am afraid we disagree."

Chihiro smiled at him brightly, eager to ensure he was not angry at her for overhearing his conversation with the witch.

"I know you both have my best interests at heart," she chirped and handed him a bowl. "I am much better than I was thanks to both you and Yubaba." Her grandfather gave her a sharp look. Was he offended?

"I...I mean..." she stammered, "I trust you both." The grey, emotionless eyes did not move from her. She sat and ate sheepishly, dropping her gaze to her food. She felt his eyes move away at last and his chop sticks clacked against his porcelain bowl.

"You do not realise how glad I am to hear you say such things," he said softly. "There was once a time when you would never have spoken those words." Chihiro kept looking at her food. She was not sure she liked the person she had been before her illness. How could she ever not have trusted her grandfather? Perhaps she had not known him well before her illness. It did not matter now. She knew that he was kind and wise and she loved him dearly. She wanted to tell him that, but somehow the words stuck in her throat. It was as if she knew that somehow if he knew her feelings it would cause him distress. She never wanted to cause him pain, so she kept her words of affection to herself. They ate in silence. Chihiro made an effort to appear content, but something was nagging at her. Who was the "him" Yubaba and Kenshin had been discussing?

"Something is unsettling you," said her grandfather. "I can sense your unease." He put his bowl on a table beside his chair and sat back. He steepled his fingers before his chest, a characteristic gesture of his that meant he was being patient with her. Every time she saw those long fingers touch each other in that way she took it as an unspoken demand for answers, even though he had never demanded anything from her. His eyes narrowed slightly, but showed no other emotion. She swallowed the food in her mouth and tried to be as honest as she could about something that was really just a nagging sensation.

"You mentioned someone, someone you did not think I should see." She realised she was rubbing the golden coloured scar on the back of her hand, and the pretty pendant around her neck felt warm against her skin.

Her grandfather drew in a long breath and closed his eyes briefly before exhaling carefully. He gave her a weak smile.

"We were talking of another of your former friends. Unlike your servant, he is dangerous. He gave you that scar on the back of your hand." Chihiro glanced at her hand. He had hurt her? She associated with violent people? She stared at her hand. "He is not evil, but he can hurt you, through no fault of his own, really." Her grandfather continued, "You will meet him later, but I think for now it is best you stay away from him."

"Why do I have to see him at all?" she exclaimed indignantly. "If he hurts me then..." Her grandfather leant forward and clasped her scarred hand between his own.

"You must see him because he can help with your illness. Only he can make you feel better. I want you well rested before you face him, however." Chihiro nodded, wondering what kind of person this former friend was if he could make her better but also hurt her. It did not make sense! She was sure it was as her grandfather said, but she did not understand. She added it to the growing mental list of things that confused her.

Her grandfather took his leave to go and work on his spell. What the spell was, she did not know, but it took up much of his time. She spent the chilly evening in her quarters curled up by the fire with her silent servant for company. She related the day's events to the mute woman. When she mentioned the "him" Yubaba and Kenshin had spoken of, her servant's white eyes widened in recognition. Chihiro was overjoyed at the reaction.

"You know him!" she exclaimed. But her servant could not confirm this. Chihiro bit her lip in frustration. Her servant trembled, as if desperately wanting to tell her everything that was locked in her by her unresponsive body.

"I'm sorry," Chihiro sighed. "I know you can't tell me. I should know better than to ask." The woman's hand shot out and grabbed and squeezed Chihiro's scarred hand almost painfully. The milk white eyes glared into hers. Chihiro got the message. She was being begged to remember. Chihiro shook her head. "I don't remember anything," she said dully. ""I know the marks on me mean something but I only feel confused and upset when I look at them." Her servant dropped her hand and returned to sitting by the fire. Chihiro rubbed her forehead. She was getting a headache. She made her excuses and retired early. She had hoped for a restful night. She did not get one.

XXX

**A/N-Yes I am back and pleased to be so. THANK YOU so much to everyone who has reviewed and sent PM's while I have been on a break. Sorry I could not get back to most of you. So I am back and updates will be irregular, but they will come. I have the story finished on paper now, it just needs typing up. A few words on this chapter, yes I have used this title before and yes I know I have Chihiro drinking sake while pregnant. It's deliberate, so no need to flame me about continuity errors ;-) but by all means let me know what you think of the rest of this little chapter.**

**Big thanks to Dimac for this, I'm rusty so there were more punctuation errors than normal.**

**Hugs and sloppy kisses**

**Velf**


	49. Desperation and Deception

**Desperation and Deception**

She was back in the black cave. The dark water below her was lazily lapping the black beach she stood on. She found the green, twilight-dim glow that emanated from whatever was growing on the cave walls was quite relaxing on her eyes. The harsh desert sun, dry air and sand gave her headaches and itching eyes. Here, the air was cool and saturated with moisture. She breathed it in gratefully, imagining it slipping into her lungs like some sort of soothing balm. She sighed; it was nice here, if a little odd. She wanted to step into the dark lake and feel the cool, clean water eddy around her toes, but she was stuck on the beach and could not seem to move. She was not alarmed by this. Part of her knew it was safe in this strange cave.

Bubbles began to break the surface of the water, not far offshore, just where the water started to get deeper. Chihiro squinted, not sure if she should wait to see what was going to rise out of the water. It might not like the fact she was intruding on its territory, but try as she might, she still could not move.

Something broke the surface of the water; it was dark green. She mistook it for a plant at first, but as more of it rose out of the water she realised it was the back of someone's head! The green haired head was followed swiftly by pale, strong shoulders and a well muscled back. Chihiro could not tear her eyes away. She almost squealed when the water moved on past the angular hips. He was naked! She cleared her throat so he would know he was not alone, but he did not react. The water stopped at his knees. She could not help admiring what she saw. Her eyes followed droplets of water as they fell from his hair onto the skin of his shoulders and ran down the hollow of his back. She could not see his arms. He seemed to be preoccupied with something he was holding. The green haired head was tilted forwards; he was looking at something.

A tiny hand with sharp nails slipped over the man's shoulder. He was holding a child? Another hand reached up and yanked at a ribbon of green hair near his ear. The man's shoulders shook as if he was laughing. Chihiro continued to watch in fascination as the bald head of a baby peered over the shoulder of the man who held it. Chihiro gasped. The child had the greenest eyes she had ever seen! The eyes locked onto her with the intensity only an infant could muster. It was the gaze of one who was seeing everything for the first time. Chihiro looked back and smiled. The baby was adorably cute. She wondered if the man in the lake was its father. The child blinked and gave a wide mouthed smile in return, dribbling a little on the shoulder its chin rested on. Chihiro's heart lifted. It was such a sweet child. The man began to move forward, stepping confidently into deeper water.

Something tugged at Chihiro's mind. She realised she did not want them to go; she was lonely. Her grandfather did his best, as did her servant and Yubaba... But she still felt the ache of loneliness in her chest. She had grown so used to it she did not even acknowledge it now. She did not want to be on her own any more! She was frightened and lost. The man and his beautiful baby were nearly under the water again.

"Wait for me!" she cried out. "Please!" She stretched an arm out towards them. "Don't leave me!" She was sobbing, her voice cracking with emotion. They could not leave her! She might never see them again! She wanted the man to turn so she could see his face; she wanted to hold his baby, even if it drooled all over her... Her heart seemed to swell painfully within her as the pair were swallowed once more by the water. She fell on her knees in the black sand and cried with abandon...

Someone was shaking her, patting her hair and her face, trying to soothe her. She heard her grandfather's voice, telling her to open her eyes. She was just having a bad dream. It was not a bad dream! It was something wonderful that she wanted. It was hers but it had been ripped from her. She never wanted to wake up again. What was the point of living in a world where she felt like she was mourning departed loved ones every day and yet no one had died..? She heard Yubaba's voice.

"She has partially relapsed; she's trapped in her subconscious again. There may be something the bond preserved despite the waterbull. If there is any trace of his memory left in her she will cling to it. There is no other form of contact with him available to her. I told you this would happen; the bond is not affected by amnesia."

Her grandfather mumbled something.

"Yes," replied the witch. "I can force her back, but this will keep happening if she is unable to see him. Eventually she will withdraw into her mind entirely and enter a permanent unconscious state."

"What would you have me do, Yubaba?" sighed Kenshin.

"She must see him!" snapped the witch. "You brought her here and say you wish for her safety. This is the only way you can keep her healthy. If you were not prepared to go that far then you should never have brought her here. Now, for her sake, you must be willing to commit."

Chihiro could hardly believe Yubaba actually had the courage to speak to Kenshin that way. She was normally very respectful and deferential towards him.

"Your anger betrays you. You care for the human," sneered Kenshin

"I do not!" snapped Yubaba.

"I can tell that you lie," said Kenshin quietly. Yubaba fell silent. "Give her what she needs," he said at last. "You will supervise the meeting. Make it brief and make it clear to him before she arrives that this contact could be regular if he behaves himself and does not cause her distress. He cannot mention anything about their relationship; it will cause a conflict that she cannot resolve within herself." A cool hand fell on her forehead. "I will hold to my word, witch. In the future I will give them both freedom, but for now things will remain as they are. When the spell is done I will begin negotiations with our troublesome guest."

"If you are still alive," muttered Yubaba.

"In the event of my death, I am sure you will act honourably in my stead." He chuckled bitterly at his own words. Yubaba said nothing. Chihiro did not have time to puzzle over the conversation she had heard as something sweet was placed on her tongue and slipped down her throat. She rapidly moved into true unconsciousness. She welcomed it; she would not be sad in its embrace.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Haku could smell the cigarette smoke in the air before Yubaba even opened the door to his cell. He was mildly surprised; he had not seen the witch since the day he had broken his teeth. His behaviour had evidently distressed her and she had not been his caretaker from that moment on.

He opened his eyes and regarded her dispassionately. If he didn't know better he would have said the witch was uneasy. His nose would normally confirm such suspicions, but it was not as sensitive without his power to enhance his physical senses. The witch hovered in the doorway looking from where he sat against the wall, crossed legged and apparently relaxed, to his tiny window then back again. He could guess what she was here for. She had news and he was not going to like it. His heart sank; she was here about Chihiro.

Feeling Chihiro's presence so near had been both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because he knew she was safe and unharmed; he would be able to feel if it were otherwise. As his power crept back to him he became aware that she was distressed. Hopeless confusion washed over her periodically. At those times he had caught himself reaching towards the ceiling of his cell, as if he was trying to touch her. It had been like the time before he found her all over again. He knew she suffered in the human world and his dreams of her weeping and calling for him had turned him into a tyrant during the day. The staff of the bathhouse had dared not even breathe in a way he disliked.

Now he felt the same powerlessness. He wanted to comfort her, to make it all better for her. She was pregnant and should not be so distressed! He should be there to ease her burdens. He would be with her soon, he had attacked the barrier viciously over the last few weeks and it now had a hole the width of his little finger in it.

Perhaps Yubaba could sense his returning power; she clearly did not want to come closer to him. He decided to cut through any banality she may try to open with.

"Is she well?" he asked softly.

The witch started, as if surprised he was being so direct.

"Physically," the witch said at last, looking at the ground. "Mentally...well, I am sure you know..."

He closed his eyes and tried to resistbeingdragged under by the tide of despair that tugged at his heart. Yes, he knew... He knew she would be suffering separation symptoms, just as he was, but not know the cause of her ailment. His mate did not know she was mated.

"You should tell her what it is she suffers from," he said gravely.

"Do you think we will risk her turning against us?" Yubaba squeaked.

"I'm sure you could manage the rejection, somehow," scoffed Haku.

"Kenshin will not risk that," said the witch with a growl. "He enjoys her company too much. She is his little lap dog. She hangs on his every word and he likes the attention." Haku felt his own growl rumble through his chest. His eyes hardened. His mate was no one's lap dog!

"They are related," continued the witch in a bitter tone. "She calls him "Grandfather" and he gets to pretend she is family; though her connection to him is so weak it's almost nonexistent."

Haku's eyes widened. Now that was a shock! He knew his mate had a small amount of spirit blood in her lineage but he never would have guessed it originated from such a pedigree. Even a distant claim to blood ties with the Old Ones could propel his mate into the top echelons of spirit society. She would not be interested in that, of course, or at least the Chihiro he knew would not... He stamped on the feeling of despair that rose in him again, but the harsh truth was that his mate would be whatever her "grandfather" had told her to be. She could be completely different from the woman he fell in love with... His eyes narrowed at the witch. There was only one way to find out if his suspicions were correct. Half of him did not want to see her at all; to look into those soulful brown eyes and see not even the slightest recognition could break him. Perhaps that was what the Night Wind was counting on... The rest of him yearned to see her, even just a glimpse of her; perhaps hear her voice. That would be better than freedom to him! He needed to be near her.

"When do I see her?" he asked abruptly. The witch's winkled lips thinned.

"Today, if you can abide by our conditions," she replied.

His heart leapt! He again tried to temper his emotions.

"What conditions?" he asked blandly, knowing full well if they said he had to, he would stand on his head for the entire visit. Still, showing desperation to the enemy was never a good thing.

"You must not mention that you are mates," said the witch sternly. "Not only is such information a risk Kenshin but it puts her at great risk too. We have no idea how she will react to information that runs counter to what she has been told to believe. The mating bond made the effect of the waterbull's blood on her unclear."

Haku clung to the witch's words. The bond could have preserved some of his mate's memories! Then he frowned, realising that might not be as good as it first appeared. If she was told to believe something by Kenshin and that belief was contradicted by a repressed memory, then Chihiro would suffer a total mental breakdown and might never recover.

"I see you have guessed how serious this is," sighed the witch, evidently reading his expression. "Keeping her stable has been difficult. We hope that contact with you may settle her. It really is better for now if she remains ignorant of who you are to her."

His mate had tried living in ignorance before; it had nearly destroyed her mind. He doubted his little human would be content to be kept in the dark, even if she believed everything Kenshin said. Humans were, by their nature, inquisitive.

"You must not correct her on anything she says to you," warned Yubaba. "Exchange a few words with her, then let her leave. You will see her again in a week, if all goes well."

Haku nodded. He would do as they ordered, but his mind was already trying to come up with a way to plant a seed of doubt within her. Something small, to get her thinking. Nothing that would conflict with Kenshin's lies, of course; it had to be something even he must be truthful about.

Haku knew he would not get free in time to undo Kenshin's spell. He was going to need help to escape. His mate did not know him, but she might have retained enough of her original personality to be persuaded to help him.

If the spell could not be stopped, Haku knew he would survive and he would ensure his mate and child's survival, but how would he bring his daughter up in a world of chaos and carnage without it tainting her? Even if Chihiro did not remember her quest she would be altered by the joining of the worlds. She would see death everywhere and either withdraw herself from the world or harden her heart. Either way, with her short human lifespan she would not live to see the utopia Kenshin eulogised about. It would take centuries for the new world to recover from its birth. She deserved so much better than that sad fate.

Haku sighed. Even with her memory loss she was still a tool of the gods. She was still the best hope for the worlds. As much as Haku wanted to protect her, she still had a role to fulfil. If she could not complete her quest then her own future was one of pain and suffering. For her sake he had to try to gain her trust.

Resolved, Haku nodded to Yubaba, indicating his agreement to her terms. Yubaba left with the promise he would see Chihiro that afternoon. Haku briefly abandoned his work on the barrier. He only had a few hours to plan what he was going to do and was going to give the task his full attention. The future could hinge on his actions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chihiro hummed to herself as she followed the witch through the fort. Yubaba had come to see her mid morning and Chihiro had first thought the old woman was there to check on her health. She had had bad dreams again, not that she remembered most of them. Something to do with a the black cave again. She had been upset, she remembered that much. She would have thought she would be used to bad dreams by now.

Yubaba had shown little sympathy, however, and told her to get out of bed and be ready to meet someone. She did not say who, only that her grandfather wanted her to meet this person. That was enough to motivate Chihiro to ignore her aching head and trot happily after the witch. Her servant had chosen some rather fancy clothes for her to wear. She felt much more comfortable in slacks and tunic but she was now dressed in a cotton slip dress that was a sunny yellow colour. Chihiro was not sure it suited her at all, but it kept her cool and she needed to make an effort to look nice. This person was an acquaintance of her grandfather; she should try to make a good impression. Well, as good an impression as she could with a thumping head and bags under her eyes from lack of restful sleep.

She had never been in this part of the fort before. The corridors were narrower and the stonework was rough. There were also lots of twisting flights of stairs. The lower down they descended, the cooler the corridors became. Chihiro was not cold exactly, but there was enough of a change in temperature for the hair to rise on her arms.

They stopped in the middle of another featureless corridor, except it seemed no one could be bothered to clear this one of sand; her feet were sinking into it and the grains were working their way into her shoes. Yubaba pulled a key from her pocket.

"Step inside when the door opens," instructed the witch. "Don't get too close to him, just talk to him for a few moments." The old woman gave her a serious look. "If you feel uncomfortable or don't like something he says then leave. You are only here as a favour to your grandfather. I'm going to be right behind you so don't feel intimidated."

Chihiro blinked, a little confused. She looked at the key in Yubaba's hand. This person she was visiting was locked in? Her mind stepped up a gear. Could this person be the former friend she and Grandfather had discussed? Suddenly she was nervous. She had been told this person was dangerous. She tweaked at the shoulder straps of her dress absently in an attempt to distract herself. Yubaba awkwardly patted her on the shoulder, apparently trying to reassure the human in her own gruff way.

"He won't harm you, child," she said with a sigh. "He'd rather die first. You will understand when you meet him."

Chihiro nodded but still felt uneasy. The door creaked open as it swung inwards. The floor of the room was covered in sand. The room was gloomy; only one tiny window set high up the wall provided light. There was a stool and a table, both made of rough, aged wood. Apart from that, the only feature of the small room - no, _cell_ - was its occupant. Chihiro brushed past Yubaba's voluminous skirts to get a clear view of the person she had been sent to meet.

When she saw him, she had to clench her jaw to prevent herself from gasping. She had seen many strange things over the last few weeks. She had thought she was beyond surprise.

He was sitting with his back against the rough hewn wall, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees. He appeared to be relaxed, but Chihiro was sure she could feel nervous tension radiating from him. How she knew this she was unsure. His clothes were drab and threadbare in places, but clean. The pale, long fingered hands on his knees had longer than average nails that came to sharp points, like claws. The hands appeared to be almost uniform in the colour of their skin. There was no variation in tone, not even a faint freckle marred them. No... there was something. It was hard to see in the low light but there was a scar on one of his hands, a golden one. She quickly glanced at her own scarred hand; they were a perfect match.

She frowned. Why would they have the same injury? Her eyes flicked up to his face. Her heart quite literally skipped a beat. He had a face that was composed of hard angles; there was no roundness or softness. His skin was the same as his hands, almost flawless. His high cheek bones and his sharp jaw line complimented each other perfectly. His face was not overly masculine, but neither was it feminine. It was hard to categorise it at all really, but it did have an eerie beauty.

His hair was long and loose, falling to just below his shoulders. She first thought his hair was black, but realised as she looked at the strands that fell over his face and eyes that it was actually dark green. What held her attention most, however, were his eyes. They were large, almond shaped and an intense jade green. She thought for a moment he had the wrong sort of pupil in his eyes. She would expect such vividly coloured eyes to have vertical pupil in them, like a cat's or lizard's eyes. He blinked slowly, as if to prove to her that his eyes were indeed human-like and had no hidden inner lids. His long green eyelashes touched together briefly, casting dark shadows on his creamy skin. She wanted to touch them...

She realised she had been staring at him and she had no idea how long she had been standing there in total silence. She felt heat rush to her cheeks in embarrassment. She was ashamed of herself... but she could not seem to get her vocal chords to operate. How on earth could she start a conversation with someone so beautiful? Suddenly her embarrassment turned to self consciousness. She smoothed a hand down the front of her dress, plucking at possible creases. She was aware he was dressed practically in rags but she could not help feeling completely outclassed. She swallowed hard and looked back at him, silently begging him to rescue her from the vortex in her head that seemed to have stripped her of both manners and speech.

She heard Yubaba shift behind her, but she ignored the witch. Yubaba may as well been one of the blocks in the wall for all the attention she warranted. The person who sat before her consumed almost all of her senses. He cocked his head to one side and his eyebrows rose fractionally. A small, pleased smile slowly tipped his lips upwards, causing her heart to pound as his sharp features softened somewhat.

"Hello," he greeted her. Chihiro almost shuddered. His voice suited him too; low but not rough. No, if she had to describe it she would say it was the auditory equivalent of velvet. His greeting broke the spell she was under somewhat. She tugged at her hair apprehensively and smiled weakly in return.

"Hi," she replied, almost in a whisper. "I'm Chihiro."

There was a brief flash of something within those expressive green eyes and it almost looked like pain. She was hurting him? How? She had only introduced herself, had she offended him somehow? The emotion was gone in a heartbeat, however, and his unwavering gaze focused back on her face.

"I know who you are," he said in a reassuring tone. Chihiro tugged harder on her hair and winced as her scalp paid her back for her rough treatment. The sting stopped her from doing what her every instinct told her to do, which was to step closer. She could not do that. This person was dangerous and she would heed the warnings she had been given.

"Are you going to stand in my doorway all afternoon?" he suddenly asked. "There is a stool; use it." His eyes suddenly narrowed, as if assessing her. "You should not be straining yourself, you are..." Yubaba coughed loudly, cutting off what he was going to say. Chihiro wanted to slap her; she had no business interrupting him! He glanced at the witch momentarily and inclined his head. He turned back to her. "You have been unwell," he said at last, obviously editing what he had intended to say. She hesitated. It seemed a reasonable request, but she did not like the atmosphere between the witch and the man. When those green eyes had looked at Yubaba they had been filled with naked loathing. She glanced at the witch but Yubaba shrugged. She could sit if she wished...

"I am unable to reach you if that is what you are concerned about," said the green eyed man, bringing her attention back to him. He pulled up his tunic slightly and hidden under the folds of fabric was a metal band fastened securely around his waist. The band was attached to a thick chain that was bolted to the wall. Chihiro estimated he could only get half way across the room. She also noted the collar around his throat. It was black and thick and she was sure it was heavy. She moved to the offered stool and sat as gracefully as she could, feeling awkward and clumsy under his stare. Did he have to keep looking at her all the time?

"What is your name?" she asked, willing her voice to be steady. Again she saw something akin to hurt in his eyes. She flinched; it was almost like she could feel it herself. She fingered the pendant at her neck and waited for his response.

"My name is long and complicated and I've had a few of them over the years." He smiled up at her warmly. "To you I am simply 'Haku'," he said in a genial tone. "We know each other well."

Chihiro brightened at his words. She felt much more at ease now. Grandfather had said she knew this person. She had not doubted him of course, but she had been unsure how friendly she had been with someone who looked like he did... She had hardly been able to speak when she first saw him!

"So we are friends!" she burst out enthusiastically. "I'm sorry if I offended you by not remembering but I've been very ill and it's affected my..."

"I am not offended," he said softly, cutting through her babble. "I am relieved to see you in good health." His eyes flicked to Yubaba briefly and she saw his gaze turn chilly.

"Oh, I am feeling better!" Chihiro exclaimed. "Grandfather takes really good care of me, so does Yubaba." She beamed at the witch behind her. Yubaba glanced at her nails, not looking back. Chihiro frowned and turned back to Haku, to be met with angry jade eyes and a clenched jaw. She could feel his displeasure in her own chest, making her catch her breath. She was briefly afraid, but the she remembered the metal around his middle and felt reassured.

"A-are you angry at me?" she stammered. "I am sorry you are in here alone and I know it was my grandfather who put you here... b-but I am sure there is a good reason!" Her eyes dropped to her knees.

"Did you two have a fight? Did you try to steal something? I can't understand why someone who is my friend is imprisoned by my grandfather!"

"Chihiro!" snapped Yubaba, it was clearly a warning. Chihiro looked back at her, confused.

"Did I say something bad?" she asked, her mood plummeting. She hated being so puzzled and confused all the time. She felt tired all of a sudden and her head felt worse.

"Your grandfather and I had a disagreement," said Haku carefully. His eyes flicked to Yubaba. The witch's lips thinned but she said nothing. "He wanted something that was mine and I refused to give it to him." His eyes moved back to her and he smiled. "This thing was precious to me. Your grandfather insisted on trying to take what was mine but I unwittingly upset his plans. I ended up here rather than what he wanted." Chihiro frowned. Grandfather was a thief? That did not fit with what she knew at all.

"It must have been something he needed badly," she murmured.

"Oh, it was," said Haku with a bitter chuckle. "He took it from me eventually but it was far from easily won over." Chihiro's frown deepened and her heart fluttered.

"Haku!" hissed Yubaba. "Watch what you say!"

"I am sure this will all be resolved soon," said Haku quickly. "What is mine will eventually be returned to me; your grandfather has given me his word." Chihiro felt the pressure on her heart lift and her headache receded slightly. She could see concern written all over Haku's features. He was worried about her?

"It will be returned when he has finished with it?" she asked in a shaky voice.

Haku nodded and Chihiro sighed with relief. It was as she thought, her grandfather was a good person. Haku would not be in this cell for long she was sure and her grandfather must have had a desperate need for the object Haku spoke of to do this to him. Indeed, it must have been a life or death situation.

"It could be something to do with my illness!" she thought suddenly. "That would make him desperate enough to steal."

"Time's up," announced Yubaba. Haku actually shuddered at the witch's words. There was no mistaking the look of pain in his eyes now. Chihiro gave a little cry and was on her feet before she knew what she was doing. She could not bear to see that hopeless look on his face! A gnarled, papery hand clamped over her wrist, preventing her from moving any further forward.

"We leave now," snapped the witch.

"But..." Chihiro pulled against the old woman's grip, but Yubaba was surprisingly strong. "I... I...I need to..." Chihiro could not explain what she felt. How could she put into words her need to reassure this person she had completely forgotten? It was not rational, she knew that, but her heart wailed for her to go to him all the same.

"Another time," the witch said sternly. "You can come again to see him another time."

Chihiro stared longingly at Haku. He had not moved, but his hands were gripping the material that covered his knees so hard that his knuckles were white. It looked like it was taking a great effort on his part for him to remain seated. She silently begged him for an explanation. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so sad? Yubaba pulled her towards the door and Haku closed his eyes. Chihiro gave a dejected whimper and gave up her struggling. She sighed and made to follow the witch without a fuss.

Haku's eyes snapped back open and he called to her.

"Chihiro." She paused and Yubaba did not pull at her, as if affected by the note of command in his voice as much as Chihiro was. The strangely beautiful man fixed her with a penetrating look.

"I think you should ask your grandfather why he has not told you that you carry a child."

Chihiro almost did not believe the quietly spoken words, but Haku's eyes held no hint of a lie. Somehow she knew he told the truth. She was pregnant; they must have known and chosen not to tell her. Why? It was not as if they could have hidden it from her for long. She was mortified she had forgotten. How could she forget she was going to have a baby? Immediately after that thought came...

"Who is the father?" She was allowed no more time to ponder that however as Yubaba screamed a curse.

"You'll regret this, lizard!" she snarled. Haku sat calmly and simply smiled. It was if she could hear the thoughts behind that smug smirk.

"_Not as much as you __will, hag;__ explain this to her, if you dare." _

Chihiro was dragged from the cell. She did not even get a chance to say goodbye to the enigmatic prisoner.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Haku passed a shaking hand over his face. He tried to calm himself; he had seen her. After all the months he had languished in this cell worrying about her... She was fine, healthy even. In that respect his heart felt a million times lighter. She had been so close to him, he could still smell her scent in the room. It wasn't enough. He clenched his teeth in an effort to ignore the growing tightness in his chest.

She had greeted him as she would a stranger and it had taken every shred of willpower he had not to howl in anger and frustration. She did not know him. Every memory of him and their life together had been washed from her mind, as if he had been nothing but a stain on her consciousness.

His hand remained over his eyes. He did not want to move it and show even the empty cell the agony within them that he could no longer conceal. His lips trembled. He sat completely motionless for some time, battling against the overwhelming? Emotions that seemed to assault his soul, threatening to tear it apart. He had hoped the mating bond would preserve at least some memories of him. He had been wrong and now he was feeling the devastating consequences of clinging to such a foolish notion. There had not been the slightest sign of recognition in those beautiful mahogany eyes. She had been surprised, curious about him and nervous, but there had been no warmth in her gaze. She had become distressed when she had been told to leave him but this was not what it seemed. These were instincts because of the bond, nothing more. Her body knew that being near him was good for her but there was no thought behind the emotion, like a child knows it's best to be close to its parents.

She did not know him.

What of his daughter? Had the waterbull's blood affected her too? Would she know him?

He had anticipated that Kenshin would not have told Chihiro of her child yet. The spell was almost complete so it was more convenient for her to remain ignorant. Losing her memories would not stop her asking awkward questions, questions her grandfather would find difficult to answer. He would have to answer them truthfully if he had any regard for her mental wellbeing. Either that or refuse to answer. This was where Haku hoped small doubts would creep in and begin to weaken Chihiro's blind faith in her grandfather.

Now he wondered if he had not just risked her health for nothing and confused her further. After all, she might be disappointed about being lied to, but she was unlikely to turn against the man she thought of as her saviour. She was loyal if nothing else and he doubted a waterbull could change that. Haku thought that perhaps he had just wanted Kenshin to feel some of the frustration he felt. He had no other way to attack the spirit but through Chihiro.

Was he really that selfish? Had his need for vengeance coloured his judgement to the extent that he was willing to harm what was most precious to him?

He sucked in a large gulp of air.

Her scent tickled the back of his nose again, heady, spicy. It threatened to ensnare his conscious mind and drown it in his most basic emotions. His mate, she should be here with him, he should be caring for her. She smelt slightly differently than he remembered. She smelt like a pregnant human woman. Such a scent was normally pleasant? to a male, calming even. His mate was in the care of another male however, and this increased his anger and feelings of helplessness a million times over. His scent was even mixed with hers.

Did she hug him? Did she touch the evil bastard's cheek with the backs of her fingers, as she had his own when she was concerned for him? Was the warmth in her gaze and her bright smile now directed at another?

He felt cold suddenly and shivered. He had thought himself stronger than this; he had been wrong about that too. The proof was dripping into the sand at his feet, where it sank quickly, leaving virtually no trace on the arid ground.

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A sound echoed through the corridors of the fortress in the glass desert. The thick walls concealed it from most of the inhabitants, but a few possessed hearing sharp enough to detect it.

It was a long, low howl of despair.

In his shining hall, Kenshin heard the lament of his dragon captive and smiled.

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_**There you go, 18 pages and Haku was in it too! Let it not be said that I don't listen to my reviewers. Massive thank you to Dimac for looking over this and curbing my comma addiction. Right, Next update will be for Indebted and the chap is already written! I just need to tweak it a bit. Many thanks to all my lovely reviewers and the folk on the forum. Sorry I could not get back to you all personally. Also a big apology to **__**Guardian of the Dragon Heir- who got the wrong review reply. I really should not write replies when tired ;-) **_


	50. A Plea To The Darkness

**A Plea To The Darkness**

Chihiro was confined to her room for almost two days before her grandfather finally came to see her. During her detention she had been very quiet, simply pondering what the creature in the cell had told her.

At least her vomiting was now diagnosed. That was a good thing at least. What she was having a difficult time coming to terms with was the fact she had been lied to. No, lied was too strong a word; she had not been trusted to know the truth of what was happening with her own body. She had been kept ignorant by those she loved and it hurt.

She knew they thought they were doing the best for her, but concealing such information from her was not only hurtful, it was dangerous. She could have done all sorts of damage to her child without knowing it. Wasn't alcohol bad for pregnant women? She could not quite remember, but she had a vague idea that it was. Her grandfather had given her sake to drink! What about all the medicine Yubaba had shoved down her throat over the past few weeks? Were they safe for her child? She worried constantly and had even taken to pacing her chamber until her servant had made her sit down.

When her grandfather finally appeared on the evening of the second day she was almost angry with him. Surly he should have been to see her sooner? Did he not know how distressed she had been? Even Yubaba visited her, though the old crone had refused to answer any of her questions.

Kenshin did not even knock. He let himself into her rooms and dismissed her servant with a curt order. Chihiro refused to look at him. She was seated by the fire and continued to stare at the flames that leapt in the grate. She did not know how to express what she felt so remained silent.

Her grandfather lowered himself to the floor opposite her.

"You have every right to feel angry," he said softly. She blinked in surprise and looked at him. His expression was, as ever, impassive.

"You have been gravely ill," he said in a subdued tone. "I did not want to burden you with extra concerns. You have not been stable for long and I wanted you to be as well as possible before I told you." He ran his hand through the dark strands of hair that framed his face, his body language showing the frustration he felt even though his face easily concealed the emotion.

"I did not think our guest would risk your sanity in such a way. I..." He was interrupted as Chihiro snatched his free hand.

"I know you were concerned for my welfare," she said carefully. "But I am glad I know, I could have hurt it by staying ignorant." Her grandfather shook his head.

"It is more likely to hurt you than you it," he murmured. Chihiro frowned, not understanding. He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Your child is different." Chihiro's frown deepened.

"What do you mean?" she half demanded. He was silent for a moment and she realised her tone had surprised him. She had never demanded anything from him. She had asked questions but never in this manner. She felt briefly like an ungrateful child, he had done so much for her! But she also needed to know.

"Your child..." he began reluctantly, "is not fully human. It is half spirit and so is much more resilient than a normal child. You will need magical help to carry it until it is ready to be born or it could drain so much of your energy it could kill you. Even if you were in perfect health it could still kill you in the final stages of the pregnancy and you are far from in perfect health.

"What?" Chihiro half squeaked.

"Now you see why I wanted you to recover as quickly as possible and I thought that knowing you were with child would be yet another burden to an already overburdened mind. Once you were fully recovered I had every intention of telling you that you were with child." Chihiro winced as her stomach twisted with guilt. She was so ungrateful! Her grandfather had only tried to protect her.

She still thought that the beautiful man in the cell meant her no harm either. He probably thought it best she knew. She was surprised that she wanted to think the best of him. He was a prisoner of her grandfather, but part of her needed to believe Haku had acted in her best interests. She was glad that she knew, thrilled even; she was going to have a baby!

But one burning question remained. Who was the father? There had to be one, surely, spells could not make women pregnant could they?

She shook her head, feeling the familiar haze of confusion muddle her thoughts again, but she managed to hold onto her question. She took a deep breath and slipped her hand from her grandfather's.

"Who...?"

"You don't need to know that," interrupted her grandfather quickly. She looked at him, wide eyed. He would not tell her?

"Trust me," he said with a small smile. "You will know in time, but for the moment you must content yourself with the information you have."

She felt the bitter sting of disappointment in her chest.

He cupped her chin in his hand gently and tilted her face up to meet his gaze. The grey eyes stared deeply into hers.

"You trust me, don't you?" he asked in a whisper.

"Of course," she responded immediately. She did not even have to think about her words.

"Then believe me when I say that I know what is best in this situation," he said with a small smile. He rose and patted her head in a paternal fashion.

"What about Haku?" she asked suddenly. Her grandfather's face darkened.

"What about him?" he asked in a chilly tone. Chihiro bit her lip, suddenly unsure if she should say what was on her mind.

"He... he won't get into trouble will her? I mean... for telling me... He's not a bad person..." The words tumbled out of her mouth without her really considering them. Her grandfather smiled at her.

"Of course not," he replied. "But I think it is best if you stay away from him for a while." He sighed and glanced at the fire. "I was afraid something like this would happen ," he said softly. "I made a promise, however. If nothing else I have to try to fulfil that."

"A promise to who?" asked Chihiro, her curiosity prompting her to ask yet more questions.

"To you," he murmured, "before you were ill."

He left her then, bidding her goodnight and closing the door to her room softly behind him. Chihiro heard it lock with a muted click.

With nothing else to do and no one to talk to she went to bed. She thought she might have a bad night, so stayed awake for some time; dreading the possibility of nightmares. Her dreams turned out to be completely benign. She saw herself swimming in a large lake. The cool water bubbled around her. It almost sounded like joyous laughter.

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Haku was asleep when his door banging open woke him. The first thing he registered was that it was still night. No one should be in his cell until morning. The second thing was a hand around his throat that was quickly cutting off his air supply. He was lifted from the ground and slammed into the wall behind him. The little air that was left in his lungs escaped with a whoosh. He gasped and choked, kicking out against whatever held him. His foot connected with what he thought was a knee. He squinted at the black shape that held him. He recognised the grey eyes, even in the gloom of the cell. He kicked harder. His nails were usually kept short so not to harm his soft skinned mate; they had now grown long and they very effectively slashed at the hand that gripped his neck. He smelled blood and knew he had inflicted damage, but the hand only tightened, threatening to break bone.

"You are more devious than I gave you credit for, Kohaku," said Kenshin softly. There was no anger in the spirit's tone. Haku realised that this visit was a result of cold calculation, rather than anger. If the spirit really had lost his temper he would have done something like this immediately after Chihiro's visit, not three days after the event.

Haku knew the only thing saving him from a broken neck was the collar Kenshin himself had put on him. The spirit seemed to notice this too and pushed Haku harder against the wall to compensate.

"I had hoped you had given up your foolish notions of stopping me," the air spirit continued conversationally. "You must have worked out by now that you do not have enough time to escape before the spell is complete." He slackened his grip only to slam the dragon a third time into the wall. Haku's head spun and his hands fell uselessly to his sides. If the spirit was determined to give him a beating then he could not prevent it.

"Or perhaps you thought your little mate would aid you when she saw the truth," sneered the Night Wind. "She has completely forgotten you. The depth of your delusion is fascinating." The spirit loomed closer. "No matter what happens, no matter how much you tell her, she will always believe in me. Even if she falls for you again in the future and you become mates once more, even if you father more half breed children with her... She will always trust me more than she trusts you and that is something you will have to learn to live with."

Kenshin backhanded him across the face with his free hand. Haku felt his lip split open. Kenshin's face was now so close that Haku could smell his breath. There was a scent he could detect that pulled at his memory, but he could not place the odour while he was being half choked. He knew he would not suffocate; indeed, if he prepared his body he could hold his breath indefinitely. It all came down to his access to power again. Without it he was little better than a human. His instincts wanted him to panic as his lungs laboured. He trembled within his enemy's grip, calming himself through a sheer force of will. He would not shame himself before Kenshin, he refused.

"If you want your pretty mate to be yours again at any point in the future I strongly suggest you be a good little lizard and never try anything this stupid again." Kenshin's grip loosened slightly. Haku gasped and nearly wept with relief. "You will stay away from all topics I deem unfit when you talk to her from now on. If you disobey me it will be Chihiro who suffers."

Kenshin tilted his head to one side and treated the dragon to a truly malicious grin.

"How long do you think she will survive the separation symptoms if I prevent her from seeing you? Three months? Perhaps six? I wager eight before she is completely insane; she is a strong woman after all."

Rage claimed Haku despite his best efforts and he kicked out again at Kenshin with a snarl. His leg met a fist. He was punched in the thigh and he felt the bone snap. He could not even cry out properly, just gurgle and squirm. Kenshin continued to talk as if Haku had done nothing.

"I have no wish to harm your mate, she is a great comfort to me." He leaned forward to whisper in the dragon's ear. "You would do well to remember exactly how close I am to her. If I chose to I could exploit her trust in a way I know you would feel." Haku stilled. His heart actually stopped beating briefly. He could not be serious! The hand at his neck was suddenly gone. Haku collapsed to the floor wheezing. Kenshin stood over him, smirking.

"But I think my preferred method of punishment would be to make her hate you. I could pour poison into her ears every day and she would believe me, bond or no bond. She may need to see you but I am fairly sure she would never let you see your first born." Kenshin glanced at the ceiling as if pondering.

"Yes, I can see it now, the evil dragon who stole her from her human family, cast an insidious spell on her to bind her to him then raped her repeatedly until she got with child. The shock she was in at such treatment caused the amnesia..." The Night Wind chuckled to himself, as if impressed with the brilliance of his own fabrication.

"I saved her and locked you up. I could not kill you as I would have liked, because of the spell you had put on her. The spell means that she must see you..."

He laughed again.

"As unpleasant as she would find the experience she would see you so her child would have a mother. However, I doubt she would even speak to you ever again."

Kenshin crouched to Haku's level.

"How would it feel to be feared and despised by that which is most precious to you?" he asked softly.

Haku merely shook his head, at a loss for what to say.

"I could, given your cooperation, give her back to you once the worlds are one. If I say you are worthy of her love then she will believe me. We could be one happy family and I could protect you all from the side effects of the unification. The choice really is yours, Kohaku."

Kenshin stood.

"Consider your priorities. Is acting against me worth the loss of your mate?"

The Night Wind turned and left without another word.

Haku let his mind go numb as his body started to repair itself. It was some time before he could fit the pieces of the fragmented puzzle before him together, but he did it eventually. So this was the true reason behind Kenshin allowing Chihiro to make it to his fortress unharmed and live with him. He had tried to slow her down of course, he was not stupid. He also knew she would not give up her quest to reach him either... In fact he had been counting on it. The longer she took the closer the spell came to completion, but he needed her here in the final days of the spell and Haku now thought he knew why.

He now recognised the scent on Kenshin's breath. Fire grass. The spirit was accessing all his power at once to bring his spell to fruition and the only reason he was still lucid was down the fire grass. Even with such a powerful magical stimulant, Kenshin did not perhaps have enough power to complete the spell.

He needed Haku much more than he had let be known. Had he even planned the bath house attack to capture Haku rather than Chihiro? Had it been a double bluff? If that were the case then all his assertions of duty towards Chihiro were also empty. Related they were, but that meant little. She was a means of controlling a tricky prisoner as the jailer would become too weak to do it himself.

If the spirit had felt any family ties to Chihiro then he would have never threatened her wellbeing in the ways he had just described. Haku was now convinced his mate was only alive because Kenshin needed his power. That put her in an even more precarious situation than he had previously thought. There were no guarantees anymore. What was there to stop Kenshin disposing of them both after his spell was complete?

Nothing...

Haku felt a paralysing chill creep over him. There was nothing he could do. His mate was at the mercy of a cold blooded killer who had played a very subtle game of subterfuge and misdirection. It was possible that the only truth in all this was the Night Wind's intention to reunite the worlds. Why he wished to do that Haku was no longer certain. For power? For revenge on the Old Ones? To alleviate his boredom? Haku was certain it was nothing as altruistic as saving the spirit and human world from destroying each other. That was another convenient lie.

Haku thought he had known despair before, he had been wrong about that too. This was true despair. No matter what he did, no matter what he tried, he knew he could not risk his mate's safety. Even if his mate was prophesied to save the worlds, what difference did that make against this situation? She did not remember her quest. She did not remember him... Yet, there it was, the scar on the back of his hand was throbbing slightly. He brought his hand shakily to his bleeding lips and kissed the scar.

"I have faith in you, my love," he whispered, his voice rasping painfully. "You are all that matters to me." He pressed his forehead to the scar and closed his eyes. "I believe only in you," he sighed. The scar was warm against his forehead. He smiled and felt blood run into his mouth as his injured lip split open again. "All you have to do it believe in me too, little one." His voice broke and he half sobbed. "Please," he implored to the blackness of his cell. "Believe in me."

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**Yes short, but setting up the grand finale. For all those of you who are filling up my inbox with begging reviews and PMs for some Haku/Chihiro fluff then there is some fanart on my DA page just for you. Link on my profile. Thanks as always to Dimac.**


	51. A Door Opens

**A Door Opens**

Chihiro gnawed at her lip. She was thinking too much again, there was a warning echo of a headache between her eyes. She knew that meant she should guide her thoughts away from her mental blocks; her memories would never return. There was no point in trying to remember. As the days had progressed, however, one question was uppermost in her mind. Who was the father of her child?

It was the most pressing of the multitude of questions she had about her past, but no one seemed willing (or in her servant's case, able) to answer any of them. Their silence only added more questions to her already overburdened mind. Why were they keeping secrets from her? What could hiding the truth of her child's origin gain anyone?

Her grandfather had said the child was only half human. That meant the father had to be like her grandfather; spirit kind.

She pushed the rice she was supposed to be eating around her bowl listlessly with her chopsticks. She had handled the news she was pregnant very well, in her opinion. It had certainly been a shock, but she had not slipped back into madness as her carers feared she would. On the contrary, she felt better than ever! As if a weight had been lifted from her mind.

She feared the reason she was being kept in ignorance was that the truth would damage her. There were various possibilities. The father could be dead; her grief manifesting itself as memory loss. She pursed her lips. It was a farfetched theory... unless she had actually witnessed something traumatic. He could have been slain before her eyes and her mind had protected itself from total madness by covering up the horrific things she had seen.

This was one of the more pleasant scenarios she had constructed as the days dragged on. In her more despairing moments she imagined darker things. Her child might be a child of violence rather than love. That would account for everyone's evasiveness on the subject. She was sure they were trying to shield her from something! In one wild moment she had even contemplated that the child was her grandfather's! She truly disgusted herself at times. She needed to stop thinking about the subject, she knew this... and yet how could she not think about it?

A hand fell on her shoulder. She looked up into the sad eyes of her servant. She smiled weakly at her and patted her hand. The woman was concerned for her. Even if she could not show it, Chihiro could tell. She ate her food under the watchful white gaze. She had to make sure she kept her strength up for her child's sake.

Her servant cleared away her empty bowl, leaving the room to take the crockery to the kitchen. Chihiro returned to worrying. Suddenly she felt very frustrated and swore to herself. She stood up from the table and glared around her room. It seemed to mock her in its anonymity. There was nothing to say it belonged to her. It could have been anyone's room. Crisp, white bed sheets, bare stone walls, stone floor, brown rugs scattered here and there and plain, functional wooden furniture. No clues at all to the person who inhabited these rooms. Nothing to aid her at all in trying to recall who she had been. It was as if the person she had been was dead, or rather she had only been born a few weeks ago and not yet lived long enough to impact on her environment.

She shook her head. She was doing it again, thinking too much. It was all that monster in the cell's fault! She had been perfectly content before she met him! No, she corrected herself, that was not true. She had been lonely, very lonely. That particular emotion seemed to have left her entirely after meeting him. Once the shock of discovering she was pregnant had worn off she really had felt better than she ever remembered. She toyed with the idea once more that the beautiful creature in the cell was the father of her child. She snorted to herself and laughed. As if anything that gorgeous would even look her way twice! She was astonished at her own arrogance at times... She sat on the edge of her bed and scratched the top of her head irritably.

She could not just forget about him either. It was not only that she had found him very attractive but the way she had felt being near him. She had not been comfortable exactly, but she had felt an odd familiarity. He certainly knew her; those striking jade eyes had regarded her with warmth and at times, hurt. Even more surprising had been her need to comfort him! She had nearly run into his arms despite her grandfather's warning.

He had been hurt she had forgotten him. He may not have said so, but he did not have to. He also seemed just as cautious about upsetting her as Yubaba and her grandfather were. That lead her to believe they were friends, just as her grandfather had said they were.

"He was the only one who thought I should know about the baby," she muttered to herself. "He was the only one to trust me." Did that mean she could trust him? If only a little?

Her grandfather had warned her about him; he was dangerous, yet Yubaba had said he would not hurt her. Her head throbbed in warning and she held it in her hands, eyes watering with the sharp pain. So many conflicting thoughts were physically painful. She trusted them all; her grandfather, Yubaba and the mysterious man in the cell... Haku. Who was right and who was misguided? She did not believe any of them intended her harm, especially her grandfather.

A hand on her back alerted her to her servant's return.

"I'm all right," she whispered. "I just have too much to think about."

The hand patted her back in what Chihiro liked to think was a sympathetic way. She had warmed to her servant over the past few weeks. The woman could not be blamed for her dark moods. Chihiro thought that if she was in the same situation she would be curled up in a corner somewhere, weeping and howling... Or rather she would if the curse would have allowed her to. She did not know how her servant had the strength to even get up in the morning, let alone serve a silly human woman who was half mad. Chihiro respected the effort it must take for her servant to operate normally within her mute world. She must be very lonely. Chihiro had decided to try and make her servant's burden as light as she could and always tried to be cheerful and talkative when the silent woman saw her. Something told her that her servant was not fooled at all by the act, but the warmth in her white eyes told Chihiro she appreciated the sentiment. At that moment, however, it was hard not to lay her cares at her servant's feet. Her servant was the only one who was always there and would not judge her for her ungrateful thoughts, or at least she could not express any emotion on what she thought, which was almost as good.

"I know you all want the best for me," she found herself saying. "But I can't decide who is right. They can't all be right. Even if they are wrong, does it matter? I mean, nothing will change, I still can't remember anything..."

She shook her head.

"I want to know! I really do! But I'm frightened to know. There may be very good reasons that Grandfather will not answer my questions about the baby." The hand at her back trembled. Chihiro looked up to find her servant shaking from head to toe. She panted, as if she fought against some incredible force or pain and her normally pale blue cheeks were flushed to indigo. Chihiro knew what the reaction meant. Her servant was desperate to tell her something. Chihiro looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I'm hurting you again," she whispered, guilt clutching at her chest. "You know something and want to help but you can't. I'm being very selfish..." Chihiro sat back and smiled as best she could. "I won't talk about this again. It's not fair." Her smile slipped. "I just... just... I can't get the questions out of my mind! It's driving me insane!" She clasped her servant's hand.

"Forgive me, I guess I'm still a bit..." she trailed off and chuckled to herself ruefully. "I even considered sneaking down to the cells last night to see if that Haku person would give me any answers." Her servant inhaled sharply and stiffened. "I know!" laughed Chihiro. "An idiotic idea."

She silenced her slightly manic laughter and looked sheepishly at her servant. The woman must think she really was crazy. Going to see that prisoner alone was dangerous and she did not have to ask her grandfather to know he would not approve. It had been his disapproval that stopped her even entertaining the stupid idea for more than a moment. She could not deny that she would like to see the green eyed man again, however. Even if he could tell her nothing more, just being with him seemed to quiet the noise in her mind and ease the near permanent headache. But her grandfather had said some time apart would benefit her. She would have to wait until he gave her permission to go down to the cells again. Even if she did somehow disobey him in a moment of madness, she did not remember the way to the cell and there was the small matter of the locked door.

She shook her head. How could she even contemplate disobeying her grandfather? She really was an ungrateful wretch.

"I'll be all right," she said with false brightness. "I'm probably tired. I'll have a nap and be fine by the evening." Her servant helped her into bed, smoothing the covers over her. She dimmed the lights of the room and left Chihiro to sleep. Chihiro was thankful she did not dream. Her visit to the cell seemed to have cured her of that malady. It was yet another question she knew would go unanswered until she saw the man with the captivating green eyes again.

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Chihiro blinked. She was awake, but still felt groggy, as if she had not rested at all. She groaned and frowned, eyes refusing to open. What had woken her? Suddenly the warm blankets were removed, causing her to gasp. Her eyes snapped open. She was greeted by an almost irritated expression on her servant's face. The woman looked like she wanted to chew her up and spit her out! She was panting and her colour was flushed once again. She was sweating, almost as if she had been running? Chihiro blinked at her, still half asleep. Why was the woman annoyed at her? She may not be able to show it but she was sure her servant wanted to yell at her.

Her servant held something out to her. Chihiro stared at her blue palm not quite knowing why she was being offered the small brass key that rested upon it. Chihiro took the key anyway.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly. "I have no idea what you want me to do." Her servant opened her mouth and gagged, a tiny strangled sound forcing its way out her throat. She stamped her foot and tried again. Chihiro winced at the tortured noises the woman was making in a desperate effort to be understood.

"I'm sorry!" she said louder, glad when her servant closed her mouth. "I did not mean to hurt you!" At a loss for what else to do, Chihiro scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around her servant's shoulders, hugging her hard. The woman trembled against her and buried her face into Chihiro's neck. Chihiro would have expected to feel tears on her neck, but it remained dry. She realised even the ability to shed tears was denied her servant. Her sad white eyes could never weep. Chihiro sighed and let go. Her servant stepped back, jaw clenched. She reached for her mistress's hand and pulled. Chihiro stumbled clumsily.

"You want me to go somewhere?" she asked, forgetting once again that her servant would not be able to answer her.

The woman ignored her and pulled her roughly forward, causing Chihiro to trot after her.

They entered the corridor and with the increase in light Chihiro could see that her servant had red splotches all over her arms and white gown. Chihiro blinked, not understanding.

"Is that paint?" she asked, touching a wet spot on the gown's sleeve nearest her. She knew immediately that it was not paint. She had a brief flash of memory_... __She__ was blind, blind and shaking with fear... but something was keeping her still... Warm fluid was oozing __over her face and through her hair__... __It__ was in her mouth too... it tasted of salt and iron... __S_he blinked and swallowed the bile in her throat. If that was a sample of what she had forgotten then maybe she really was better off not remembering.

Her servant had paused and was giving her a blank look. The white eyes clearly said that Chihiro would not get an explanation from her servant, even if she could talk. Chihiro gave her a slight smile. Something strange was going on, but she would just have to wait to find out. She trusted her servant; her grandfather had said they were once friends.

She was dragged through the fortress at varying speeds, sometimes at a walk, other times at a flat sprint. Chihiro could see the pulse beating in her servant's elegant throat rapidly. She was constantly looking behind them, as if she expected to be followed.

Chihiro recognised the second set of steps her servant pulled her down. Her brain might have had more holes than the cheese in the fortress pantry, but it did not take a genius to work out where her servant was taking her.

"Wait!" Chihiro called out. "I'm not allowed to go down here!"

Her servant turned and gave her a flat look. Obviously she did not care about the embargo.

"Grandfather said I had to stay away from..."

Chihiro was sure the woman wanted to slap her! Her eyes burned white hot. "Like magnesium..." Chihiro thought, then shook her head. She had no idea what that word meant. Her servant tugged on her hand.

"I can't," said Chihiro. She knew she couldn't, her legs would carry her no further forward now she knew where she was going. "I really can't do this," she said softly, looking at her now oddly uncooperative feet. "I have to go back," she whispered.

However, when she turned to leave; her hand was yanked sharply. She stumbled and her stomach met a small bony shoulder. The air was knocked out of her and before the surprised human had time to process what was happening she was thrown over her servant's shoulder. She fought for breath and tried to struggle. Her servant demonstrated how deceptive her small form was by breaking into an inhumanly fast sprint and was down the steps and through a few corridors before Chihiro had even got her breath back. It was a matter of moments before she was standing at a very well remembered door. Her servant was wheezing from exertion, but that did not stop her from snatching the key from Chihiro and slotting it into the keyhole of the door before them. She unlocked the door quickly but did not open it. She glanced meaningfully at Chihiro.

"I can't!" she wailed. "He said I should not see him!"

She small woman continued to stare at her. Chihiro swallowed nervously. The woman was giving her little choice. She was sure her servant would be in very deep trouble when they returned. Then there was the small matter of the blood on her clothes and skin. Had she been in a fight? Whatever had happened to her servant she had risked much to bring Chihiro here. What was so important that she would risk the lord of the fortress's wrath to bring her mistress here against her will? Chihiro shuddered; the thought of her grandfather getting angry was scary. She was surprised, however, that she was not running back up the stairs yet to tell him of her servant's deeds. She realised he had not actually forbade her from coming to this cell, only that they should "stay apart a while." Well, it had been "a while" since she had last been here. She knew she was looking for a way to justify her selfish curiosity and she was doing a pretty poor job of it. The truth was she wanted to see the beautiful creature again... She pushed the unlocked door open...

A/N- You know you love me really!


	52. Questions and Answers

**Questions and Answers**

He was standing as they entered. He must have heard them. She was hardly through the door when she was hit by a wave of fear. She almost gagged. Was he frightened of them? She had no idea how she knew it was his fear she was sensing, she just did. His eyes narrowed at the diminutive woman beside her. He ignored Chihiro completely.

"Are you insane?" he hissed at her servant. "Do you know what he will do to you for this?" Her servant squared her shoulders and stared at him. His eyes flicked briefly to Chihiro. Her breath caught. They were just as beautiful as she remembered, perhaps even more so in the moonlit cell.

They seemed to glow.

"Do you have a death wish? he hissed. "Take her back before they realise she is missing!"

Her servant simply glared back at him. Chihiro's heart sank. He did not want to see her; he was ignoring her right now! She should not have come. Suddenly Haku growled and took a step towards her servant.

"Who did this to you?" he demanded. "Who cursed you to servitude in such a perverse manner?" The white haired woman moistened her blue lips and looked at her feet. Chihiro thought the woman would have blushed if she could. Haku's sharp featured face tipped up slightly and he inhaled. His whole body was briefly still, then his eyes widened. A feral snarl erupted from him, pulling his lips back to reveal wickedly sharp teeth. Chihiro paled and moved back a half step. He was scary! She really should not have come; she had frightened him somehow and now he was angry.

"Tell me that I don't smell a Love Talkers taint on you, sprite..." he said in a low tone. There was a moment of perfect silence following his words. Chihiro braced herself. She knew what was coming next; she did not even bother to ponder how she knew.

"How could you be so stupid, Linca?" he yelled. "Do you have any idea how serious this is? The servitude bond is the only thing keeping you alive!"

The small woman shuddered in the face of his rage, but she stood her ground, staring blankly at him... No, not blankly, Chihiro knew her well enough now to know she was upset. She gulped. Haku was tall, and though he looked like he needed some more meat on his bones he was still intimidating. She gave herself a mental kick and opened her mouth, hoping something useful would come out.

"P-please," she whispered uncertainly. His gaze fixed on her with such intensity that she immediately dropped her eyes and stared at her feet. Her instincts told her to run from the angry thing. He was bigger and stronger had large teeth and a temper... But again she knew with certainty he would not harm her. Yubaba had said as much last time she was here. The information did not make her any less afraid; her heart was racing and she was desperate to leave. What held her in place was one fact. He might answer her questions. Besides, she could not let him keep ranting at her servant... She realised he had used her servant's name... He must know her too! Emboldened, she stepped forward.

"Please," she repeated, taking another step closer while still looking at the sandy ground. "Don't shout at her." She risked a peek upward. The eyes were still angry, but he was not yelling any more. She pressed ahead. "You're scaring me," she admitted in a small voice. His demeanour changed immediately. He stiffened and the muscles in his jaw twitched, then he sighed and the tension left him. He ran a shaky hand through his slightly greenish hair.

"Forgive me," he said at last, his voice smooth and even now. "I was concerned for you both. You have taken a great risk and I do not want to see either of you harmed because-" He did not get the opportunity to finish his explanation. He was hit in the chest by the body of a small white haired woman. She pressed herself against him buried her face in his... Well, she was so small Chihiro was sure it was his stomach. Chihiro was quite shocked. She had suspected they knew each other but not like that! He was hugging her back, pulling her close, leaning his long body forward to cradle her trembling form closer. His arms tightened around her upper back and his eyes closed briefly. Linca stood there stiffly, unable to return the gesture but no doubt taking comfort from his embrace. Chihiro felt pity; her servant could not even hug someone.

"I am sorry, Linca," he whispered. "I have no right to criticise." He stroked the woman's silky white hair soothingly. "It's all right," his voice rumbled gently. "I'll make this better somehow."

Chihiro bit her lip. She should not be watching. This was a private moment between two people who cared for each other. She felt an inexplicable sting in her chest. It must be nice to be held like that, especially by a handsome man, who incidentally was now looking right at her. She could not understand the emotion in his eyes, but they stopped her from leaving.

Linca pulled back and stood on her toes. She held his face in her delicate blue hands and gave him a penetrating look. Chihiro frowned as the man nodded, as if Linca had spoken to him. The small woman stepped back and reached for Chihiro's hand. Chihiro let Linca pull her towards Haku, but shuffled her feet as she got closer. Her grandfather had said that... But she had no more time to think about her grandfather's wishes.

Linca grabbed Haku's hand and mashed both his and Chihiro's together. Chihiro squeaked in indignation. She might like the look of this man... person... thing... She may even feel attracted to him, but that did not mean she wanted... Again her thoughts were derailed as Haku's hand slipped over hers and cradled her palm gently in his. Her heart started beating far too fast and she trembled slightly. He must have felt her reaction because he squeezed her hand reassuringly. He was not angry at Linca and obviously had no intention of letting Chihiro go. Her hand felt a little lost in his, it was so much bigger and yet soft. There were no calluses or marks on his skin. His hold was heartening. She looked up at him, there was a small encouraging smile on his lips and there was warmth in his eyes. She found herself relaxing and a small smile tugged at the corners of her own lips. She opened her mouth to ask one of the many questions that plagued her; he would have answers, she was certain of it!

Pain bloomed in her forehead as if she had been stabbed. She whimpered and her free hand flew to her head.

"Chihiro?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "What's wrong?" Chihiro tried to get a handle on her scattered wits; she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her mouth was dry and she did not seem to have enough moisture on her tongue to use it properly. Her head throbbed, warning her not to ask her questions. Suddenly she was angry. She was about to become a mother and if Haku knew something that could help lay her inner demons to rest then she was damn well going to ask him! She fought the pain and forced her mouth to move.

"They won't tell me who the father of my child is..." she blurted out in a rush. The pain in her head increased; she gritted her teeth and vowed internally she would beat her head. To her surprise and relief the pain retreated, but her resolve faltered with it. Now with nothing to fight against she felt embarrassed asking Haku about the parentage of her child and a blush stained her cheeks. She pushed on regardless. Linca had risked much to give her this chance.

"Do... Do you know anything?" she asked finally, her voice rasping. "I would really like to know." She looked at her feet and scuffed her toes on the sand, feeling like an awkward child. "I don't remember anything about him, which is more than a little frustrating. You are the only one who has been completely honest with me so far, though I suspect your motives are more to do with annoying my grandfather than helping me." She paused for breath. He was not yelling at her and he had not dropped her hand; all was going well so far. She heard rapid footsteps moving away and out of the cell. Linca was leaving her?

Chihiro glanced behind her and saw the door swing shut and she tried not to panic. She had nothing to fear, and yet, she had to admit she was scared.

Haku's thumb ran over the back of her hand, drawing her attention back to him. She gulped and looked at his chest rather than his face. His collar bones were too prominent; he really did need to eat more. She felt sympathy swallow her fear.

"What did your grandfather tell you exactly?" Haku asked softly. She could feel those green eyes on her and she bowed her head a little further forward so her hair would hide her face.

"He told me it was better I did not know," she whispered so quietly she thought he could not possibly have heard her. But he did not ask for her to repeat herself. She deduced he must have exceptionally sharp hearing and he had said he could smell a curse on Linca? A good nose then too. She wondered what she smelled like to him.

"And what did he tell you about me?" he asked in the same soothing voice, as if he knew how nervous and embarrassed she was.

"Very little," she whispered. "Only that we were friends but you had done something wrong so you were imprisoned. He said I should not see you for a while."

A strong, warm, long fingered hand captured her remaining free hand. Her head throbbed again in warning, but it was muted. Haku was stirring in her things she had forgotten, that was why her head hurt, but something about being near him was helping ease the pain. Did he have magic like her grandfather? Or did she just feel better around him because part of her still remembered him? She did heed her head's warning; she did not want to black out again. But she was distracted from the pain by his hold on her; the tips of his elegant fingers were massaging her palms and the pads of his thumbs drew little circles on the backs of her hands.

"I have to be careful what I say," he sighed, sounding genuinely frustrated.

"If it's too much trouble, I understand..." she began apologetically.

"It's not that," he insisted. "You are still under the influence... of something... What I say could make you gravely ill and I am sure you wish to avoid that."

Her heart sank and she nodded miserably. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes.

"Is the truth really that bad?" she whispered, her voice hitching.

She thought her ears must be playing tricks on her when she heard him chuckle. Her head snapped up and she looked him fully in the face. No she was not mistaken, he was smiling! Rage burned hot in her chest. How dare he mock her? How dare he laugh at her situation? He noticed her shift in mood immediately and matched her angry stare with one of mild amusement. He grinned at her and his sharp canines peeped at her. His eyes and smile softened and warmed as he looked at her. Chihiro shuddered internally. That smile was absolutely devastating. She wanted to melt into a puddle of girly goo on the sandy floor. She decided that keeping hold of her anger was her best defence, though the emotion had withered considerably. He had still insulted her! She pulled her hands back sharply and placed them on her hips. His lips quirked back upwards and he looked in danger of laughing at her again.

"What?" she snapped. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "I've just missed you, that's all."

Her hands slipped to her sides and her mouth dropped open slightly. She had no idea how to respond.

"You have seemed so unsure of yourself," he explained, taking a step closer to her. "It is reassuring to see your personality is not drastically altered despite the..." He paused, his eyes tilting upwards for a moment; he was having trouble deciding what he could say. "I was worried your sickness may have changed you. I am relived it has not." He took another half step forward. There was hardly any space left between them now. His chains jangled as he moved, a timely reminder that she could step back if she wanted and he would be unable to follow. "You always did have a bit of a temper," he chuckled fondly. She frowned, annoyed he knew her better than she did. It made her defensive. She folded her arms and continued to glare at him.

"You laughed at me," she said crisply. "I don't find my situation funny." His face turned serious rapidly.

"No, I agree, your situation is not amusing," he said earnestly. "It was your assumption that the circumstances around your pregnancy were 'bad' that I found amusing. You have not lost your tendency to worry too much either." She gritted her teeth at his words. He was getting more irritating by the moment! She took a step back.

"What am I supposed to think?" she half yelled at him. "I don't remember what happened and no one will tell me the truth! It must be something terrible or why is it hidden from me?"

She saw the guarded look again flutter across his features and knew he was considering his response.

"Why indeed?" he responded gently.

"Huh?" she asked, now hopelessly confused.

"Why are things being hidden from you?" he elaborated. "Not just this, either. I am sure there are other questions you have asked and not received a satisfactory answer to." He folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"I've been ill, they don't want me to relapse," she responded automatically.

"Oh?" he asked holding his head to the side slightly. "What have you been suffering from? What caused your illness? How are they treating your condition?" She blinked at his sudden bombardment of questions. He was supposed to be answering her questions, not she answering his! She opened her mouth to snap a response, then realised she had never asked any of those questions. She had never even questioned the potions Yubaba made her swallow every other day. Surely she should at least know that?

"You have not even thought to ask them have you?" he said with a mirthless smirk. "Do you think, even with your limited memory, that this is normal behaviour?"

She shook her head. How had she never seen this before?

"No," she whispered in a strained voice. Her chest tightened and her breathing sped up. There was something very wrong about all this. Why were the people she loved so evasive? Why were they content to leave her ignorant?

"The Chihiro I know would be demanding answers until she screamed herself mute," said Haku's icily calm voice. "What has happened to make you so docile and accepting?"

He was pushing her into something and she was not sure she liked it.

"Why don't they want you asking questions?"

"They've never stopped me asking questions!" she shot back, but her voice lacked conviction. "They want the best for me."

"And who told you that?" he asked, his green eyes refusing to leave her face, hungrily drinking in her struggles. "Who told you they wanted the best for you?" he pressed.

"_They did,"_ her brain supplied unhelpfully. Her vision blurred slightly and her chest rose and fell with her now panting breaths.

"They saved me!" she protested weakly.

"How?" he asked, his voice like steel.

"I...I..." She swallowed and tried again. "I don't know," she hissed and her eyes began to water. He closed the distance between them again. He looked down at her, his expression still determined. He was not going to let his questions go unanswered; he was not going to let her slide back into the foggy oblivion she had been living in over the past few weeks. He was going to push her to a conclusion and she was terrified. She should not be here! She should not be listening to him! Her grandfather had been right!

"So let's sum this up," he said darkly. She hardly even noticed his hands were now gripping her shoulders so she could not move away from him. "You are happy to accept that you have been saved, by people who claim to be family, through methods unknown, from an unknown threat and suffering from an unknown illness as a result of this unknown threat..." He paused to let his words sink in. "You accept all this but you question the parentage of your child..."

She was shivering in his grip now. It was all so clear, all the things she should have asked as soon as she was able and yet she had not thought to ask any of them. Why? She had not even asked her servant's name! She had been completely content to let the woman remain anonymous because her grandfather had never informed her that she had a name. There had been some questions that broke through the fuzz in her mind, and they were readily answered, save one. That question had not been one she thought of herself either. It had come from the person who stood before her. She whimpered and lights flashed before her vision. Her head was suddenly thudding as if it would burst. She could not fight it this time, it hurt too much!

"Does your head hurt?" he asked in a more compassionate voice. She almost choked when his hands settled either side of her face, fingertips firmly massaging her temples.

"Does it only hurt when you think too much?"

All she could do was nod.

"And why do you think that is, Little One?" he asked in a whisper while lowering his head so his eyes were level with her own. She blinked her watery eyes to clear them. Why had he called her that? He had a pet name for her?

"The truth is, you know the answer to all these questions," he breathed. "They are still in you somewhere. Your head would not hurt if everything was gone." His fingers were working minor miracles on her temples and she found herself leaning into his hold on her.

"Do you know me, Little One?" he asked in the softest of whispers.

"You say I do," she replied mechanically.

"Don't trust my word," he corrected her gently. "Think about what you know and decide for yourself." He gave her a moment to order her thoughts before he asked again.

"Do you know me?"

Her throbbing head was easing but she did not intend to use it anyway. She closed her eyes and analysed how she felt. She knew the hands that held her and the warmth spreading through her chest was also known. The slight throb of the scar on the back of her hand was something that did not feel out of place, a scar that matched the one on Haku's hand. She liked listening to his voice, deep and smooth; it comforted her, but she knew it could be forceful enough when he wanted it to be. She knew the scent of the breaths that were moving over her lips and cheeks. Nothing felt wrong, not even the fact he was completely disregarding her personal space. How could she feel all these things and not ever remember meeting him?

"I know you," she said at last, opening her eyes. "But I don't remember you."

He smiled at her. It was such a sad smile she had to resist the urge to hug him.

"You know me, it is enough for now," he murmured. "I truly have missed you, Chihiro." She knew she should move back, she knew she should ask her questions now, but suddenly nothing else seemed important. She was lost in a sea of jade and she saw no reason to find her way back to reality. Those eyes... they were hypnotic... The pain in her head was now a distant memory. She was dimly aware there were voices in the corridor.

"What are you doing here?" screeched a voice. "Where is Chihiro? If I find you have anything to do with this, land sprite, I will rip your eyes out!"

"Yubaba is coming," he said in a toneless voice

"I'll be in trouble," she said blandly, somehow not caring.

"Deep trouble," he agreed. "As will I."

"I don't want to go," she murmured, her lip trembled at the mere thought of leaving him.

"I don't want you to go either," he whispered urgently. "But I don't have the power to keep you with me." His eyes flicked to the cell door, breaking their hold on her. Yubaba's indignant shouts were getting closer and Chihiro felt a stab of fear burn through her stomach.

"I will be slapping a holding spell on the two of you as soon as you and your stinking human sister return to your rooms," the hag bellowed. "You will be forbidden from leaving your rooms from now on!"

"_Sister?"_ thought Chihiro absently. _"How can that be?"_

"You have to go," Haku insisted, raising his voice a little.

She sighed, knowing they were out of time. She would do as he asked and she would apologise to her grandfather and accept any punishment he decided to mete out. She reminded herself that she was here for answers. She was not leaving until she got at least one!

"Who are you to me, Haku?" she whispered, quietly demanding an answer with the strength of her gaze.

"Have you still not put it all together?" he asked, the smallest of smirks playing over his generous lips. "Have I not given you enough hints?"

"Do you ever not answer a question with a question?" she replied with her own weak smile. Her heart thudded in her chest as she looked up at him. She needed to know, then she was sure other questions would have their answers... He only needed to answer this, then everything else would fall into place, she was so convinced of this! He was the keystone she would be able to build her past around, if only he would help her...

His beautiful green eyes flicked to the cell door once more.

"No time to explain," he hissed urgently. Chihiro's heart sank. She was going to leave as ignorant of her past as she had arrived. She cursed Yubaba under her breath and for once did not feel guilty for thinking ill of the old hag. She had been so close to answers! If she had only a few moments more! She looked back up at the man creature standing so tantalisingly close to her. He had his head on one side and his eyes were wide and earnest. Chihiro realised he had just decided on something. There was more squawking from beyond the door. Chihiro shuddered.

"I guess I will have to show you, Little One," he whispered.

Suddenly, she was pinned against him and a pair of very strong arms were keeping her from moving away. She struggled; foolish really, she knew she was no match for him in strength. She glared up at him angrily and opened her mouth to order him to let go. Attractive he may be, but she was not that sort of woman!

His lips settled over hers, silencing her. She nearly swallowed her tongue. She was outraged, he was deliberately taking advantage of her and... and... it felt so familiar... Her body relaxed in his grasp, remembering what her mind did not. The kiss was not invasive, or forceful. It was achingly sweet and gentle. His hands moved from her back to support her shoulders and cradle the back of her head. Her eyes fell closed. Nothing mattered any more, not even the conflicting emotions and confusion she felt.

She felt a flutter in her stomach, like the brush of butterfly's wings. She stiffened immediately. Was that...?

"_Daddy,"_ the whispered word echoed through her mind.

Haku gasped and pulled away, staring at Chihiro in awe.

"_Help!"_ pleaded the distressingly weak voice. Chihiro's hands flew to her stomach. Her child had just spoken. She may not know much, but she knew babies were not supposed to speak before they were even born! She did not have time to consider her child's words, or what they meant for her and her search for the truth. Haku grabbed the pendant that hung around her neck and ripped it from her. Chihiro yelped. It hurt! She had not been able to remove that pendent herself. She had tried on a number of occasions, even once trying to cut off with a knife...

Haku held the pendant to his face, looking into the black stone at the centre of it.

"Thank you, daughter," he said with a smirk. Chihiro backed away from him as he put the pendant between his sharp teeth. He bit down hard. The black stone fractured. He spat the broken pendant into his hand and it began to leak black mist. He grabbed Chihiro by the arm and pulled her against him once more.

"Hold still," he murmured in her ear. The pendant exploded in a blast of light and black shards.

Chihiro yelled and raised her free arm to shield her face from the tiny black blades.

An earth shattering boom followed the flash.

She screamed, a guttural, petrified noise. It hurt, her head hurt so much... Then everything was darkness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yubaba finally managed to get past the infernal land sprite with a well placed holding spell. The witch would have been able to immobilise her quicker if the damn sprite had not been so light on her feet! She dodged her spells half a dozen times before Yubaba could finally subdue her. Now she was racing through the corridor to Haku's cell. She was positive the dragon was telling Chihiro all sorts of things she was better off not knowing. He really should have given up. She was not going to remember him.

"_He'll never give up,"_ she thought grimly. _"He loves her too much and he knows she __carries__ his child. He has every reason to fight to get __free;__ even if Chihiro does not know him, the child will."_

The child of a dragon. Even in the womb it could already be flexing its magical abilities. Unlike non-bonded spirit children, who were powerless for their early lives, a dragon's child, even one that was half human, could potentially be very powerful, though the child would not have full access to its power until maturity. Even so, it would be able to communicate once self aware. If it had magic, and Yubaba would bet a century of her life it did, then why had it been so quiet? Chihiro had certainly heard nothing from it. She would have told them. There was the possibility it was too tired to talk to its mother because it had been up to something. As Haku's child it could be sly enough to try something sneaky. Kenshin had assured her that the child was too young and too weak to directly affect its environment or communicate more than a few words to its mother. Also if Chihiro did not know of the child then there could be no link between them. Haku had spoiled all that, but Kenshin had been too wrapped up in his spell to see the dragonling as anthing more than a slight irritation. Perhapse he liked the idea of adding to his family. He had told Yubaba that the child could easily be influenced to become ally rather than enemy. Yubaba was not so sure.

The witch steeled herself for the coming confrontation, a holding spell already dancing across the tips of her fingers, ready for immediate casting.

The witch flung open the door to Haku's cell and cast the spell into the room before even looking.

The huge white dragon uncurled itself slightly from the unconscious human it was protecting with its own body. The spell bounced harmlessly off the white scales and almost rebounded on the witch. Yubaba squeaked and ducked. She straightened once the spell passed over her and what she was seeing finally filtered into her mind. Her heart grew cold, then stilled momentarily. What she was seeing was impossible!

The white whiskered snout of the dragon turned towards her, lips pulled back to reveal sharp white teeth. It growled at her. Haku may not be able to speak in his dragon form but the clawed feet pawing at the sandy floor of the cell and his narrowed eyes spoke for him.

"_I am going to kill you, slowly."_

Yubaba ran.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N yes my readers, I know it may be out of character, but I wrote a happy chapter. I think I broke the laws of physics in doing so! Massive thank you to beta-sama Dimac. You rock babe.


	53. The Tables Turn

_**The Tables Turn**_

Kenshin knew what had happened even before Yubaba found him. He passed his hand over the obsidian ball, caressing it as he would a lover. He glanced around his marble hall, then upwards to the sky. It twinkled brightly with millions of stars. Their combined light and that of the full moon illuminated the hall with an eerily cold light and left dark shadows between the columns.

He sighed. So, he was out of time. He had felt the dragon's power suddenly flare and then fade, slipping through his fingers like water. Kenshin could easily imagine how angry the dragon would be. He had been in his position. He had rampaged through the stronghold of an enemy that had held him captive on several occasions. It was satisfying in its own way. He had prepared for the dragon's escape; he was not foolish enough to believe his plans perfect. No, the best strategy was to always overestimate the abilities of those you pitted yourself against. In the event of Haku's escape, he had asked all those within the castle to leave. The loyal shadow spirits were doing just that. They were fleeing the fortress, losing themselves in the moonlit sands of the desert night. If he survived they would probably return. If he did not, they would still worship him. He had aided them greatly; they would not let a small complication like his death get in the way of their religion. He took an odd sort of comfort in that. He chuckled mirthlessly to himself.

"Curse that prophecy!" he laughed. He had thought he could neutralise it. He had been wrong. The witch had been right for once.

"I should have killed Chihiro before she even knew of her quest," he mused, then glanced back at the ball. "But if I had, I would not have come this far. Haku would have been out of my reach without his mate."

When he had heard the dragon had pledged himself to a human he had been intrigued. A dragon was a formidable creature. They were strong and could be vicious. He had only fought one in his long life and he had lost, badly. A dragon that had a human to protect was another matter. Even better, they mated... Now_ that_ could seriously put a handicap on the dragon's power. His mother must have foreseen all of this and making Chihiro an agent of prophecy was a master stroke. She had known if Kenshin ever woke he would act against her. He was certain that the great goddess had not informed her tool that it had been she who had lead to his long slumber. Yes, he had been weary of the world, but too stubborn to end his own life. He guessed she had become impatient to end him and had sent the assassins. Instead of dying as she had intended, he had bested her assassins then entered a hibernation trance and the faithful shadow spirits had kept him hidden. His mother must have been furious when she had realised he had eluded her

He and his mother had never got along, even before things became lethal. She had used him harshly and he had been her willing tool, desperate that some day she may acknowledge her "accidental" child and he would no longer embarrass her. When he finally realised that nothing he did would gain him the love and trust he craved, he wthdew his services. They did not speak to each other for centuries. Now he thought her the worst sort of dictator. She was bound to maintain the status quo because her own life depended on the split between the worlds being maintained. She was the rift guardian; without the rift, she was no more.

He was a threat to her and his way of thinking was dangerous. She had ignored him while he remained alone, but when the shadow spirits began to worship him... He could see her logic. He had accidentally managed to get an entire race of spirits to see him as a God. He had millions of potential disciples to call upon; an army to command if he wished. He had thought nothing of his elevation to godhood at the time, expecting they would tire of their new religion. He was more than a little discomfited by it, if he was honest. He realised his mother took the situation very seriously when he fought off three tiger spirit assassins. He had barely survived. He had kept one assassin alive and after a long and grizzly torture the spirit broke the assassin's code and gave up the name of his master. Kenshin had repaid him with the quick death he had been begging for.

He had been livid, but his anger soon cooled to icy hatred. His mother had become a creature of evil and had forfeited her right to her position. How many had murdered and killed in her name? How many of her tools lacked the strength to break free from their bloody bondage? It was clear that when one of her tools did gain their freedom then she would try to dispose of it. He knew he lacked the strength to stand against her tyranny. He retreated, fading from the world.

She had perhaps mellowed as the centuries passed, but he cared not. He knew her, had seen the darkness in her; she needed to die. He knew how to destroy her but lacked the resources. A dragon, however, was an almost limitless well of elemental energy. With one of those at his command he could do what needed to be done. His mother had seen his plans even before he thought of them and inspired a prophecy as a counter measure. She had made the mate of the dragon his enemy, who just so happened to be related to him. He would laugh if it was not so tragic. He had felt genuine sympathy for Chihiro. He knew how it felt to be used.

Now the dragon was free, and had more power than Kenshin himself. Kenshin had sacrificed nearly everything he had to his goal, to give the worlds a chance to live without the taint of his mother keeping them apart. If he met Haku now he would die. He was a warrior; he did not bother lying to himself when it came to his ability. Were it not for the fire grass he would not even be standing. It was a shame things had played out thus, but somehow he knew it would. He was prepared. He knew what he had to do. His mother had underestimated his hatred of her. He would not lose.

Yubaba came speeding into the hall, nearly crashing into the steps that lead up to the throne in her haste to get to him. Kenshin frowned. She really was a pitiful creature.

"He's free!" she gasped, her hair flying around her in large agitated wisps, like a geriatric Medusa.

"I am aware of this, Yubaba," he said in a monotone.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" she ranted, turning her anger on him in her panic. "He'll kill me!"

"Probably," Kenshin agreed. He turned form his spell to face her, arms folded.

"I told you this would happen!" she screeched, flames licking around her lips. "Why wouldn't you listen?"

Kenshin did not have the time or the patience to reprimand the impudent witch. He gave her a cold look.

"Kneel," he said softly. The tac'tal at Yubaba's throat flared. She struggled briefly but the pendant he had forced her to wear made her obey.

"What are you doing?" she shrieked, her plate sized eyes round and frightened. He approached her and crouched to look into her eyes. He could smell her fear as clearly as the cigarette smoke on her breath. He wrinkled his nose, disgusted.

"I have learnt a wonderful expression from watching Chihiro and her companions on their quest. It is pertinent to our current situation, so I will share it with you." He smirked at her. "This, Yubaba, is plan B." He rested his finger tips on her forehead, trying not to shudder at the feeling of the wrinkled, clammy skin. The witch gasped and struggled in earnest, understanding his intention. The scent of her fear was almost overpowering. She was quite rightly terrified.

"You can't do this to me!" she squeaked. "I am your ally! It's a mortal crime! You will be punished!"

"I don't remember ever promising to abide by my mother's laws. In fact the very point of our alliance was to break them." He let his smile grow wider. "All of them," he whispered. "I have no loyalty to you, witch; you woke me for your own petty reasons." He chuckled at her as she whimpered. "Some would even call this justice. You betrayed your own sister and son in coming to me for aid."

She choked and spluttered at his words, but seemed unable to form a reply.

"Goodbye, Yubaba," he whispered, then pushed. His fingers easily passed through flesh and bone. Once his fingertips penetrated the brain's protective membrane he began to draw on her power. It was a primitive method of extraction but he did not have the time or energy for anything less invasive. The process could kill her, but that was not his concern. Completion of the spell was all that mattered.

He ignored the witch's agonised screams. There had been many that had screamed because of his actions, she was simply one more. Blood trickled between his fingers and flowed down his arm to drip from his elbow. He continued to draw power from her. He would need to sacrifice a few spirits after the witch; she did not have enough to complete the spell. He once again mourned the loss of the dragon. It had been so much easier with him.

Once the witch was drained he let her slump to the floor. The four puncture wounds where his fingers had been now gushed red blood over the white marble. He frowned. The floor would now always carry the stain; he would need to replace it. He stretched and rolled his shoulders, feeling infinitely better but he needed more. He stepped over the half dead witch and cast a repellent field around his spell, just as a precaution.

He closed his eyes and breathed in. There were very few shadow spirits left in the fortress. A scent tickled his nose. Being an air spirit his sense of smell was impeccable. He focused on the scent; he was not strong enough to get a full identification from such a weak scent. If he was at full strength this would be simple. The scent came from a being that was partly air natured and it was well rested, its power untapped for some time. He smiled, recognising the faint scent. The witch's blood had confused his senses. It was worth wasting a little power for what he would gain in return. His prey was even already immobilised! It was only a matter of thought and then what he required was standing motionless before him. He rested his fingers on the smooth blue skin of her forehead and he felt her tremble. He looked into her terrified white eyes. It must have been her that reunited the dragon with his mate. He had overlooked her. She had been so wrapped up in her grief and self pity he had thought she would barely function as a passable servant. It seemed she had pulled herself out of her depression for long enough to consider Chihiro's needs before her own. He had no idea land spirits could be so stubborn. He would know better in the future. A good warrior was one who learned from his mistakes.

"One good turn deserves another, Linca," he whispered, borrowing another humanism he had learnt. Tears oozed from the spirits eyes. "I refuse to yield," he hissed, then pushed.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Haku had to fight with himself so he did not chase after the witch. Almost every instinct howled at him to exact his vengeance immediately on those that had dared pit themselves against him. The time in his cell had taught him many hard lessons, however; patience was one of them. He had also vowed to himself that when he finally had Chihiro back with him he was never letting her leave his side again. He would protect what was his, even if she did not remember him. He unwound the coils of his serpentine body, lowering her gently to the floor. He noted how the colour of his scales had dulled to a dirty off-white and totally lacked their usual pearlesence. Kenshin had stolen much of his energy and it would take weeks for him to recover but even in his present condition he was far from helpless.

He realised abruptly that he should change forms. It had been natural to change to his dragon form, but it was not exactly suited to the cramped cell. His priority was to get his females home. He grinned wolfishly as that thought crossed his mind. Yes, he had more than one female to worry about now. His daughter had already showed she was fiendishly intelligent. She had manoeuvred the minuscule amount of power she had into the tac'tal around her mother's neck. The obsidian stone he had fashioned with his own power had recognised her power as his own and sucked up what she offered like a dry sponge. She must have almost exhausted herself feeding the stone. The result was she created a small well of energy. It had been just enough for him to use to rip the barrier between him and his own power wide open. There had been something else released when he broke the stone, however. It had smashed into Chihiro and knocked her unconscious.

He changed to his human form and knelt, pulling his mate gently until her head was resting on his lap, rather than the sandy floor. For a moment he drank in the sight of her, simply relieved she was with him once more. He stroked her face with his fingers and called her name softly, not wanting to startle her. His eyes darted over her form, checking for injuries. He found none.

The tac'tal seemed to have evaporated, as if it had been made of a liquid rather than metal and stone. He did not mourn its loss, even if he had made it himself. It was a necessary evil when he had given it to her, but the history and use of such things in his world was sinister. The thing should never have remained around her neck. His mate had refused to remove it. He smiled to himself, remembering how angry she had been when she first found out what his gift to her had represented. His smiled faded. It all seemed so long ago, though in reality it was but a fleeting moment when viewed in terms of his immortal life span.

Chihiro groaned and her eyes fluttered open. He smiled down at her sleepy brown eyes. She blinked at him and slowly sat up. He could not help himself; his hands were aiding her before he even thought that his help might be unwanted. She did not react to the contact; she let him help her up. She rubbed at her eyes and looked around.

"Do you remember what happened?" he asked softly, trying not to sound too concerned. He did not want to confuse her. "Are you hurt at all?"

She frowned to herself then looked at him.

"You got free," she whispered.

"Yes, I did," he said with a warm smile. Her frown deepened.

"You kissed me!" she half yelled, indignation clear on her features. He sighed. This was not going to be as easy as he hoped it might. He had hoped she would remember a little about him. He had to be honest, he could not lie.

"It was not the first time I have kissed you," he said carefully, his mind racing. He was not sure exactly how to explain without the possibility of frightening or insulting her. He needed her trust, so he would guide her conclusions in the right direction but he would not rush to tell her everything. Her brow cleared as she considered his words.

"Are you my boyfriend?" she asked sceptically. He burst out laughing. It almost did not matter that she did not remember him, she was near and that was enough... for now.

"I'm a bit more than that to you," he said with a smirk.

"Husband?" she squeaked, disbelievingly.

"A bit more than that too," he chuckled. "You are my mate." The frown returned to her face.

"You mean like animals?"

It was his turn to frown. She did not have to say it so disgustedly! His pride stung for a moment. He realised how wise he had been to change forms before she woke. If she was having trouble believing they were mates then his dragon form would have probably terrified her. She looked unsettled for a moment, but she did not panic. She took a deep breath and calmed herself. He felt his hurt pride melt away. She was being so brave! Her hands fell to her stomach.

"This... this is yours?" she ventured. His heart ached for her, she must be so confused...

"Ours," he said as gently as he could. "Our daughter."

"Daughter," she echoed, looking at her stomach. "She spoke, I heard her," she murmured to herself while rubbing her slightly rounded abdomen. "She is asleep now but I heard her speak. Babies are not supposed to do that."

"Our baby is only half human," he reminded her, certain she had worked out by now he was the same breed of being as Kenshin and Linca. She suddenly looked up at him sharply.

"Do you love me?" she asked bluntly. She must have seen his expression darken because she quickly explained herself.

"I mean, this is not an arranged... thing? We errr... mated for love?"

He felt his heart break a little. She really did not remember him. His anger flared for a moment and demanded he rip to shreds those who had hurt them. He would seek vengeance later, she needed him more. More than even she knew.

"Yes, we love each other," he told her, his voice hitching slightly. He took a shuddering breath and tried to keep his emotions in check. "I've loved you since you were very young. We live together and run a business together. We were not planning on having children just yet, we have not been mated long." He watched her blush prettily.

"I don't remember any of that," she said faintly. She closed her eyes for a moment. "I have a strange image that keeps popping into my head..." She trailed off and swallowed.

"What do you see?" he prompted. He was aware of the passage of time. They needed to leave soon. For some unfathomable reason, however, the fortress was not organising itself to recapture him. He could feel the occupants leaving. He had no idea what Kenshin was up to but he wanted no part of it. However, if he did not take time to explain the situation to Chihiro then she may never trust him. He could simply take her away, but she would think he was kidnapping her.

"I see a shoe," she whispered. "A pretty pink shoe, a girl's shoe..."

Haku's heart leapt. She remembered something! Perhaps the waterbull's blood had not washed away everything? Or perhaps his daughter had managed to store some of her mother's memories in the tac'tal? He had to resist the urge to touch Chihiro's stomach. When his daughter was born he would have to have a little chat with her about using magic on her mother. But for now he was grateful.

"Some of your memories might come back," he suggested.

"Grandfather said that..." She stopped when she heard him snarl. He recovered his temper quickly.

"Chihiro," he sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "That man is-"

"Lonely and full of hate," she interrupted, cutting him off. He stared at her, his mouth dropping open. Her beautiful brown eyes regarded him sadly.

"I remember something else," she murmured and rolled up her sleeves. Haku blinked. She was marked with Da'tant?

The lightning bolt shaped mark was dark in colour on her left arm. The mark on the right had faded until it was almost the same colour of her skin.

"This is you," she said, pointing to the lighter mark. "Now you are free it's nearly gone." She pointed to the darker mark. "This is Grand..." She stopped herself and eyed him warily. "This is Kenshin," she said at last.

"You remember your quest?" Haku asked, his heart becoming like a lead weight in his chest.

Her brown eyes hardened and her expression became grim.

"We have to stop him, Haku," she said firmly. He shook his head.

"No, I'm taking you to a safe place," he said in a tone that matched hers.

"Safe for how long?" she challenged.

"I can't let you do this!" he hissed angrily. "You have risked too much already." Chihiro folded her bared arms and glared at him.

"You don't have to help me, I will face him alone if I have to," she said coldly.

"You will do no such thing," he growled. "I'm going to get you away from here whether you like it or not. I don't care if you hate me for it. I can't get you back only to have you get hurt or even killed over a burden that should have never been yours." He realised he was actually trembling with fear at the very thought of losing her again. He had to make her see sense. He made a grab for her folded arms, pulling them apart and capturing her hands with his own.

"You are my mate and I have to protect you," he insisted earnestly, squeezing her hands slightly. "I've not been able to look after you while I have been here. You've faced many dangers on my behalf, I can't let you do any more." He pulled her to him and held her tightly. She did not struggle.

"Both you and our daughter are the most precious things to me," he whispered into her hair. "I need you to be safe."

She was silent, but when she eventually spoke, her tone was resolute.

"We have to stop him. He's not evil but what he will do to the worlds will be evil. How safe do you think I and the baby will be if we let this happen?" She pushed back from him, but her hands remained on his shoulders. She looked up at him and his heart grew heavier still when he saw the determination in her eyes. He was not accepting this. He would grant her almost anything she asked, but this was too much. He shook his head.

"You can't ask me this," he said, voice catching. "Please, Chihiro, let's leave here and go home."

"I can't," she replied. "I might not remember much, but I remember why I am here. I need to do this; I need to help him see he is wrong! Terrible things will happen if I don't stop him!" She moistened her lips and glanced sideways. "I'm sorry for any trouble I have caused you and I am sorry I have forgotten you, I truly am." She looked back at him and he cursed the old ones. He would never forgive them for using his mate as their tool, no matter the cause. He would never bow to them again.

"I'm scared, Haku," she admitted. "I don't want to hurt him, he has been kind. But I do need to stop him, for everyone's sake, including the baby's." She sighed and her hands dropped to her sides.

"My head hurts and I'm very mixed up," she chuckled to herself mirthlessly. "I've discovered I'm pregnant and have a partner in the last week alone... It's too much."

He nodded, understanding.

"I do need your help," she said in a small voice. "I'm only certain of one thing and that's stopping the worlds from being one." She glanced back at him. "The other things... will have to be left until I have done what I came here to do." Haku nearly squeaked when she bowed before him, forehead pressed to the sandy ground.

"Please help me, Haku," she pleaded.

Haku closed his eyes and fought the urge to howl in frustration. He could not agree to this! But she was begging him! He hardened his heart. She was confused and vulnerable. He had to do what was right. He would take her away right now, even if he did shatter any trust she might have in him.

He stiffened as he felt a disturbance in the atmosphere around him. It washed over his newly regained senses like a freezing wind. Chihiro also shuddered, feeling the disturbance through the bond they shared.

"What was that?" she asked, her voice high and afraid. Haku clenched his fists. It seemed he could not fight fate, no matter how hard he tried.

"Kenshin has Linca," he bit out.

Her eyes widened.

"Why?" she asked, her eyes beginning to swim with water. "Why does he need her?"

Haku knew well what the Night Wind needed Linca for. He needed a new source of power now he did not have a captive dragon to draw it from. Haku's anger was quenched when a cold feeling of dread crept over him. He stood, took Chihiro's hand and pulled her to her feet.

"You will stay behind me at all times," he ordered. "If you so much as step around me I will knock you out and lock you in one of the cells," he growled. She nodded and he pulled her into the corridor.

"Thank you," she whispered behind him.

"Thank me later," he snarled. "Just concentrate on not getting in harm's way." She was silent behind him.

The cold feeling in his chest grew. He could not get rid of the notion that one of them was not going to walk away from this. For his part he was going to make damn sure it was Kenshin.

He tried to calm himself and gentled his grip on his mate's hand. He would not lose his temper, no matter what state they found Linca in. He would keep his composure and protect his family to the best of his ability. The rest really was up to fate. Haku just hoped fate was not in a cruel mood.

"Haku?" said a small voice behind him. "Why were you imprisoned?"

Haku rolled his eyes. He knew she would not keep her questions to herself for long now she was partly free of the curse on her.

"Well..." he sighed and began to tell her their story.

XXXXXXXXXXXX


	54. The True Price of Memories

**The True Price of Memories**

Chihiro grew increasingly nervous as they approached the upper levels of the fortress. She had no idea how she was going to stop the man she had called Grandfather. All she knew was that she was driven to stop him. Haku had explained, along with a little of their history together, that she had been "blessed" by a goddess and was her instrument as well as that of a far older mistress... fate. The drive to complete her quest was not her own, it was theirs. In the end it did not matter to Chihiro where the urge came from. She was stopping awful things from happening, she was sure of this, but what exactly would happen if she failed was unclear. A lot of people would die, that was enough really.

She regarded her companion's back thoughtfully. He still clutched her hand... His hand was soft and warm, dwarfing hers. She had never thought her hands particularly dainty but his large hands made hers appear small and feminine. She had decided that she liked his dark green hair. The fingers of her free hand twitched and she had to fight the urge to play with the hair that came past his shoulders. It was a bit dishevelled and she wanted to neaten it. She had a vague impression that it should be shorter. She had also noticed his broad shoulders and back that tapered to a trim waistline. He had long legs and was quite a bit taller than she was. He was a bit on the thin side, nothing a few good meals would not correct, and he could do with a change of clothes also. There were holes in the back of his tunic that gave her tantalising glimpses of very pale skin. She bit her lip. It was a shame he insisted on being ahead of her, she could not see his eyes and they were quite striking.

She mentally slapped herself. She was effectively marching into battle. No matter how handsome her companion was, she could not afford to let her concentration drift. She could not help her curiosity; he was gorgeous even after being imprisoned and he was infatuated with her. Or rather the person she had been before. She was different now. Would he even still like her? Would she like him?

"_You like him already and you hardly know him,"_ her mind supplied unhelpfully.

"Stop worrying," said Haku and he paused to sniff the air, checking with his heightened senses that no one was near. He pulled her forward and squeezed her hand. "We will get to know each other again and see what happens. We were friends before we were lovers, we will go back to that."

"Sorry," she muttered, blushing with embarrassment and trotting to keep up with him as his pace increased. "I did not realise I had spoken out loud." To her surprise he laughed.

"You didn't," he said and she could hear the smirk in his voice. She puzzled over his words as he dragged her down another anonymous corridor. Suddenly, realisation hit her.

"You can read my mind!" she hissed, pleased she could still keep her voice low despite her sudden anger. He tutted and indicated with his free hand. They flattened their backs against the wall and waited a moment before Haku peered around a sharp bend in the corridor deciding it was safe, he pulled her onwards.

"I could read your mind if I wanted to," he said with a sigh. "But given the situation, that would be a complete waste of power and would make your head hurt more than it already does." He all but sprinted up the next dimly lit corridor and turned left so sharply that she nearly lost her footing.

"I don't have to read your mind. I can sense your mood and could tell you were looking at me, which I have to say was pleasant." Chihiro was sure her face was on fire. She would have to be much more guarded around him!

"But then your mood changed and you started to brood. I could easily guess what was bothering you. I know you better than you know yourself at the moment." Her anger burned, it was not fair!

"Don't be like that," he said seriously. "I'll teach you how to protect your emotions later, but right now we have your sister to rescue and if you must insist, two worlds."

Chihiro sighed. For a moment talking to Haku had taken her mind from what they had to do. She seemed to have a very short attention span. Was she normally this scatter brained? Or was it something to do with the amnesia? She recognised the next corridor he pulled her into; they were close to the main hall.

"Where does this lead?" He asked, picking up on her recognition.

"Kenshin's hall," she replied. "It's where he conducts most of his business during the day."

"Anything there I should know about?" he asked.

"Not much: a throne, few columns, big black stone..." she squeaked as he broke into a run.

"Not good," he muttered.

"Why?" Chihiro asked as she panted. Irritated that he did not sound winded at all. "It's just a spell. He let me try and push it over once. It just sits there and glows."

"A spell such as the one he is casting requires a massive power reservoir. That black rock is not just any spell; it's what he is using to bring the worlds together." He swore violently, shocking her. "If this place was not humming with so much power, I would have picked up on its location. As it is, all I can tell is that the spell and Linca are close. She is probably in the hall."

Chihiro swallowed. Even she knew what that meant. They would not be able to get Linca to safety without meeting Kenshin. Her heart pounded with fear. One part of her still trusted and loved her grandfather. He had never treated her badly, he had instead spent time with her and tended to her needs, tried to ease her fears. However she also knew that he had manipulated her and Haku had told her that Kenshin had caused her memory loss. She was not sure she believed he would do such things. Her head throbbed. 'No.' she thought. She must focus! She needed to stop him; it was all she had to cling to. It was her one point of absolute certainty. Everything else was just background noise. Haku came to a halt before a door at the end of the corridor.

"I can't sense him at all," he muttered unhappily. "There is too much energy and all I can smell is blood."

"Blood?" echoed Chihiro. Haku nodded and suddenly turned to her, cupping her face in his hands. The intensity of his expression and those stunning eyes stole her breath.

"Whatever happens," he said in a hushed whisper. "I'm with you and I won't leave you." He paused and the hands against her face trembled slightly. "You must listen to me and do as I say. Stay by my side and do not even think of moving away from me." She nodded, struck dumb by the emotion in his eyes. She could feel his fear as if it were her own.

"He will try to trick you, try and get you to trust him again. He will use the curse he has cast on you to cloud your judgment. You must resist him." She nodded again. He was worried about her, but he should not be. She knew what she needed to do; she would not falter. Haku kissed her forehead, closing his eyes for a moment, as if to hide some emotion he did not want to share with her.

"Stay safe. That is not a request." he said at last. He straightened, lowering his hands. He turned and silently opened the door to the hall.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The door opened onto the hall. Everything was as Chihiro remembered, with a few differences. First, Kenshin was nowhere to be seen. Second, it was night. She had not even noticed the passage of time. The moon was shining high above the roofless room, bathing the white marble in a ghostly light. Only a few things interrupted the eerie perfection of the white marble. The dark throne seemed to suck in any light that touched it, lending it an aura of menace. Behind the throne, light streamed back into the night sky from a large ball of black stone and before the throne, was a dark patch on the white floor. Not far from the patch was a crumpled figure, clad in white.

"Linca!" hissed Chihiro, but she remembered her promise and let Haku carefully move forward with slow steps, pausing every now and then, as if to listen to what the dry desert breezes were whispering to him. Chihiro trotted after him, her nerves already almost shredded and Her eyes turning every shadow into a potential threat. They reached Linca without incident. Haku bent down and turned her over carefully. He gave a very serpentine hiss at what he saw. He tried to shield Chihiro from the view but she peered over his shoulder. Her hand flew to her mouth and she whimpered softly.

Linca's eyes were closed and her face was wet as if she had been crying. Her mouth was slack and she had been drooling while unconscious. On her forehead were four holes, placed close together. It took Chihiro's mind a moment to realise what had made the holes.

"Those are finger holes!" her mind shrieked at her. "He's strong enough to push his fingers through someone's skull!" She tried to calm herself, tried to turn away and not look, but her eyes were riveted on Linca's face. Dark blue blood was pumping slowly from the wounds, soaking into her white hair and making dark and sticky trails all over her pale blue face.

"Will she live?" Chihiro finally asked in a small voice.

"I don't know," said Haku tightly. He pulled at one of his sleeves, tearing it off and using it to bind the wound on Linca's head.

"She is breathing and her heart beat is still strong, that's all I can tell for the moment."

"Why did he do this?" she asked, still in a barely audible voice.

"He drained her power," Haku glanced at another dark stain on the floor, next to the steps leading up to the throne. "I think Yubaba received the same treatment, but she had enough energy left to get away." He smirked, but his expression held no humour. "It's a good thing that she got away. I will enjoy tearing her throat out when I catch up with her." Chihiro shuddered. He sounded serious. He gently lay Linca down. Chihiro wanted to help her, but knew there was little she could do until they were all safe. She moved back as Haku stood and followed him as he mounted the steps to approach the throne. He moved behind it and considered the large black stone, his head tilted slightly to one side. He whistled between his pointed teeth.

"Impressive" he muttered. "This will not be easy to remove. I'm not sure how to destroy it either; there are many guards and fail-safes." He glanced at Chihiro.

"You don't know how to stop it?" she asked, a note of panic creeping into her voice.

"I did not say that," he corrected. "However, I may need advice on destroying it. Zeniba might know a way." He pulled a disgusted face. "She is older than me, I think." He muttered then sighed. "I can get it out of here; I'm just going to have to try a few different techniques before I am sure what will work." He raised his right hand gracefully.

"I would not do that if I were you," said an emotionless voice. Chihiro nearly screamed. The voice was so close she could feel warm air on the back of her neck.

Haku gave a guttural snarl that almost had her running for the door. She was grabbed and shoved roughly behind him. She clung to the material that covered his back and peeped over his shoulder.

There stood... well she was not sure what she should call him anymore. She settled for his name. Kenshin was still dressed in black with his hair braided down his back. He maintained his air of boredom. The only difference in his appearance were his eyes and the sword strapped to his hip. She could see that his eyes were no longer emotionless as they locked onto her. Kenshin was chillingly angry. She wanted to hide her face in Haku's shoulder. She trembled with fear and shame. She had never seen him angry before. She was a bad granddaughter. She had taken his kindness and thrown it back in his face. She had betrayed him. Chihiro clenched her teeth. He had not said anything yet and she was already losing her resolve. So much for her promise to stay strong!

"Well Chihiro," he said softly. "I see something did interfere with the water bull's blood. Though I think you remember little of real consequence," He glared at her and she shuddered again. "It would have been much better if you had stayed ignorant. I treated you like family."

"Hardly a drop of your blood flows in her veins," growled Haku. "You have virtually no right to claim her as family." Kenshin did not even spare him a glance.

"I was not addressing you dragon. I was talking to my granddaughter," he said tightly.

"Don't call her that!" Haku spat, the saurian hiss coming back into his speech, making him sound truly animalistic.

"Control yourself," Kenshin said in a bored tone. "Do you really want to expose her to your other form before you have had time to prepare her?" A small smirk crept over Kenshin's thin lips.

"Has he told you about that yet Granddaughter? What you see is not really what he is. He is an illusion, a being with a false form so he may interact with those lower spirits that more resemble human kind."

"You are just the same," Haku spat back.

Chihiro swallowed. She was a little disturbed to hear that the flesh she could feel under her hands was not real, though it felt real enough. She knew that neither Haku nor Kenshin were human, she guessed having more than one body was not much more of a leap. She felt the muscles under her hands loosen slightly. He had been worried?

Seeing that she was not reacting to his words, Kenshin shrugged nonchalantly.

"Why are you here?" he asked in an undertone. "I would have thought your mate's safety would have been your priority."

Haku growled slightly, but did not reply. Kenshin grinned at him.

"She made you bring her here didn't she?" he laughed lightly. "After all you efforts the only thing she remembers is her quest? Or did you risk everything for the slut of a sprite?"

Chihiro felt Haku's shoulders twitch, but he remained silent. The smile faded from Kenshin's face.

"You should have stayed ignorant Chihiro," he sighed. "It is a shame I could not spare you your fate but I guess the old ones have meddled too much with your destiny for you to avoid it." His eyes flicked to Haku momentarily.

"Even your mate could not protect you from it; though I'm sure he tried."

Chihiro had heard enough. She could feel her guilt tugging at her heart and did not want to listen to Kenshin's words anymore. She would not be able to do what she must if she started to sympathise with him too strongly. Oh but she wanted to! She could very easily have left Haku's side and slipped into Kenshin's arms. He was more familiar to her than the creature she was hiding behind. Kenshin would forgive her and she would slip back into the fuzzy happiness she had experienced in his care. But she had known, even in her confused state, that she did not belong with Kenshin. She belonged to the creature that stood in front of her. She knew that even without being told. Whether he was her friend or lover did not matter; she simply needed to be with him.

"Why did you hurt Linca?" she asked, wincing at the quiver in her voice.

"She was one of the few beings who had a reasonable amount of power that I could get access to and who I was confident I could control." He explained in a reasonable tone. His eyes moved to Linca's prone form at the bottom of the steps.

"I left Yubaba with enough energy to survive; she did, after all, aid me from time to time. A mirthless grin hovered over his lips. "You should be thanking me," he taunted. "She was living in misery. I only kept her alive as a way of keeping you happy." He lent forward slightly, pining her with his angry eyes. "I let her suffer for your benefit, nothing more."

"Monster," she whispered, her eyes filling with water. She had never seen this side of him. He had always been so kind. Now she was his enemy. She no longer deserved his pity and compassion.

Haku was slowly backing her towards the spell, giving ground at a measured pace. She could almost feel him thinking furiously. He was angry but had a tight rein on his temper, he would not act rashly. She felt slightly less afraid.

"Of the two of us, Chihiro, I'd say you were the monster." Kenshin countered. "You may not remember, but we would not even be in this situation if your race was not plundering the physical world of all its resources." Chihiro paled a little. She did not understand but felt shame clutch at her heart all the same. She noticed that Kenshin was not pursuing, he was letting the gap between them grow. His fingers moved to the hilt of his sword and Haku stiffened slightly against her. Kenshin grinned at him. Was he taunting them?

"Your race became more than your humble beginnings ever let us envision you would." He continued with a chuckle. He then sobered and regarded her seriously. "We are stronger than you, we are immortal, and we wield power you can only dream of." He took a step towards them. Haku inhaled sharply, but Chihiro was transfixed by Kenshin's words. She could not help but listen to him. For once she felt he was expressing his true feelings and holding nothing back.

"But there are so many more of you now. You are quick witted and stubborn. You refused to accept your position in the world and demanded more: longer lifespan, better health, safety from the elements and from each other. Your race bettered itself generation on generation and we looked on with amusement and awe. How we laughed amongst ourselves at your struggles. We thought you greedy children would soon learn not to ask for what you could not have. That you would accept your place eventually." He smiled fondly at her. "Too late did we realise that you had removed yourself from your intended niche. You became a force of nature in your own right." His face was serious once more, his eyes taking on an icy gleam. "It was then that we learnt to fear you." He took another confident step forward. She suddenly realised Haku was herding her towards the exit. Perhaps, if she could keep Kenshin talking long enough, they would not be trapped and Haku could put into action whatever plan he had come up with. It occurred to her that some part of her must know Haku very well if she was willing to trust him so implicitly.

"You became monsters in our eyes, few of us will admit how much we fear you but that does not lessen how we feel. Our existence is threatened by yours and we loath both ourselves and you for the situation we now face."

His eyes flicked to Haku. "But some of us are more enlightened than others. Some of us do not fear or hate. There is hope that both of our people could live together once more. You and Kohaku are proof of this." He took another step forward. Haku matched it with a step back. "The divide between our worlds is no longer required. Our deference to the old ones is no longer needed. With the worlds whole we will be forced to co-exist. If we do not, then we will all perish."

"And who gave you the authority to make such a decision?" hissed Haku. "By what right did you take this cause as your own?"

"I am simply the only one that can do this," Kenshin said softly. "The only one who knows the old ones well enough to believe that they are not all powerful gods. With this perspective I could see how they had abused their power. They maintain the rift between the worlds because their lives depend on it, not because it is best for all." Chihiro's eyes widened. The cold air of indifference fell away from the ancient spirit and his eyes blazed with rage. His voice had grown in volume has he spoke and she found herself trembling. What could they possibly do against such hatred?

"The old ones are selfish creatures who are deliberately blind to the fact that their time is at an end." He declared. "No one will make me turn from what I have chosen to do. Not even those with which I can empathise." His eyes rested on Chihiro briefly. "I cannot be reasoned with; it is useless for you to even try."

"But people will die!" Chihiro found herself shouting.

"People die every day," he said coldly. "It's not something you can change."

He folded his arms and stood still, apparently content to let them back away. Chihiro knew that if he wished, he could have her by the throat in half a heartbeat. She was not sure if Haku would be able to do anything to help her if she was attacked. She had no idea what to do. He was not going to back down and she was too weak to be any kind of threat. She had hoped he would see reason, but she could tell from his stance and tone that Kenshin thought his was the only reasonable conclusion. She felt the urge to act and the mark on her arm throbbed... but what could she do? Nothing, she could only hope Haku knew what he was doing.

She heard a strange sound and identified it a second later as laughter. Haku was laughing; she could feel the vibration under her hands.

"I've heard those pretty speeches before," he said, his words dripping with scorn. "It took me some time to see through them, but when I did, I realised you have only two true motives for your lunacy." They moved cautiously past the spell and had almost reached the door behind them. Kenshin raised an eyebrow.

"Enlighten me," he demanded, stepping towards his spell with quick steps.

"Revenge and boredom," Haku sneered. "You should have killed yourself centuries ago. You have nothing left to live for. Your only joy in your pitiable existence is that you are one of the few things that can cause your mother pain." Chihiro nearly bit her tongue as she was roughly pushed into the door frame. "You survive to spite her. If you died, she would finally be free of you. You went into hibernation only after it became clear that you could impact upon her happiness no longer. She had moved on and you were left behind. Now you are so beneath her notice she does not even bother to converse with you."

Kenshin grinned as if he knew something Haku did not, but said nothing.

"You sulked for a few centauries like a spoilt child and then, when Yubaba woke you, you learned that your mother now has another son, one she loves, a legitimate successor." Kenshin's expression hardened, his smile slipping..

"_Could that really be the reason?"_ wondered Chihiro_. "Is all of this some family dispute gone too far? Could Kenshin really be that petty?" _She eyed Linca's motionless body and decided she had no idea what Kenshin was capable of. It was best to assume the worst, as much as it hurt her to do so.

"So you did the only thing that you could to bring your mother and her new family down," said Haku. "Close the divide and they all die a slow and painful death."

Kenshin smiled again.

"Is this the part where I am supposed to break down and confess? Or were you expecting me to get angry so you could use the lapse in my attention to get your mate to safety."

Haku stilled.

"I really expected better from you Kohaku," drawled Kenshin. "Could you not come up with something a little less obvious? Do you really think I am going to let the one bargaining chip I have to hold over you be merely pushed out a door?"

"Was that really your plan?" hissed Chihiro in her companion's ear.

"If you have a complaint then save it for when you are not in mortal danger," he hissed back. "I'm making things up as I go along, if you have a better idea then I would love to hear it. You are the prophesised one after all..." Chihiro decided it was better to stay silent. She was not helping and he was doing his best to protect her. It was gratifying that her safety seemed to be his only priority.

"I also think I should inform you that, as I knew you would be coming, I took the liberty of using a little of my precious energy to conceal a few spells." Kenshin said in a lightly mocking tone. Chihiro winced, knowing that the situation had just become even more perilous for her. Kenshin knew she was Haku's weakness and he was going to exploit it. She was not getting out of this room easily. Haku, however, remained calm. He had probably anticipated such things. "For example," Kenshin continued conversationally. "That door you are trying to leave by has a concealed barrier. The only thing it will let through is air."

Not taking his eyes off Kenshin, Haku used his left hand to push at the space behind them. She watched, fascinated, as his fingers straightened and his palm whitened, as if he was pushing against glass. He gave a sigh.

"Nothing is ever simple," he muttered in a voice so low she could barely hear him. She got the feeling he was talking about more than a blocked door.

"What now?" she asked.

"Back up plan," he hissed, his eyes roving around the room.

"I should also inform you that all the exits to this room have barriers, I cast them as soon as you entered," said Kenshin, obviously amused. "I also took the time to perform a small dampening spell," he added with a grin.

"Is that bad?" asked Chihiro.

"It means that only he can use magic within this room," Haku explained in an undertone.

"Then it is bad," Chihiro muttered, her heart sinking.

"Not as bad as you might think," he said softly. He reached behind again and fumbled for her hand. When he found her fingers he laced his through them and squeezed tightly. "Stay here; don't move until I tell you to." He said without looking at her. "I need to know exactly where you are at all times." She nodded, then realised he could not see her as he was still focused on their grinning opponent.

"I'll be right here," she said softly.

He loosened his grip, intending to move away. She closed her hand around his tightly. She did not know why, but she felt prompted to say something... she did not know what... her mind was blank!

"I..." she winced at how unsteady her voice was. She sighed and tried again. "Be careful," she settled on at last.

He half turned to her, his eyes still on Kenshin. The corner of his mouth turned upwards.

"I will be fine; it's you I worry about," he said with a hint of amusement. He pulled his hand away from hers and moved forward. His stride was confident and he seemed to straighten slightly. He rolled his shoulders and flexed his fingers. Kenshin's grin widened as he watched him.

"Are you going to try and pit your skills against mine pup?" he asked. "Give yourself another ten thousand years and you may be up to the challenge..."

Haku snorted.

"If I were going to mindlessly attack you I would have done so already," said Haku calmly. "It must have cost you much of your remaining power to cast so many defensive spells."

Kenshin inclined his head, apparently agreeing.

"So you have little left to deal with me," said Haku in the same calm tone. He halted not far from the spell. Kenshin did not respond, but watched Haku closely. "Now I may be prevented from attacking you magically, but the physical option is still available to me, even if I dislike using such methods." He stepped sideways, beginning to circle Kenshin slowly, Kenshin's attention followed him and Chihiro was ignored. Haku smiled, his teeth flashing in the moonlight menacingly. "You are weak Night Wind, if it comes to brute force I will win and we both know it."

Kenshin laughed at him scornfully.

"You would not get near me," he chuckled. Chihiro's heart hammered when she saw white lightening dance over Kenshin's fingertips. She was frightened, even if Haku was not!

"I don't think you will use that either," said Haku carefully. "If you burn what little energy you have left then your spell can not be completed." Haku stepped closer, cautiously. "If you do not have enough power left to feed that hungry beast of a spell it will drain you dry. I doubt your life's energy will give it enough fuel. You will die knowing your death was completely in vain and your spell will never be finished." Haku moved closer still, now only a few strides from the dark-haired spirit. "I think you came into this room with a sword because it is the only weapon you have now have."

"You believe you have all my choices accounted for?" said Kenshin mildly. "Trust me Dragon, your youth and naivety betray you. You are not the strategist you believe yourself to be. Remember how easily I captured you?"

"I remember," said Haku softly. "But you really only have two options left. You can walk away from this with your life or you can die here." Haku's eyes flicked to Chihiro briefly. "If you do not back down, I will kill you without hesitation. You know I will. By trapping us here you have given me no alternative. I must protect what is mine."

Kenshin laughed at him.

"Many have tried to do what you propose dragon. What makes you think you will succeed where they have failed?"

"Logic," replied Haku. He reached out a hand and gestured at the spell. His hand brushed another barrier and the area around his hand crackled with purple energy. Haku smiled and ran his fingers across the barrier slowly, causing the energy to dance angrily beneath his hand.

"If you attack me, I will win; as you are in no condition for a fight. I will step over your dead body and dismantle your spell. If you do not attack me, then your massive incantation will soon weaken you anyway and I will step over your unconscious body and undo your work. I win either way; I am giving you a way out. Perhaps it is a mistake not to end you now but all that time in a cell has taught me a few lessons..."

He sighed and dropped his hand from the barrier, which returned to invisibility.

"We are at a stalemate, one you cannot maintain. Even if you take the spell and run you know I will catch you. Again, physically I am in much better condition." He grinned and this time there was no mistaking his intent. His expression was almost feral. "That's my favourite option, hunting you has more than a little appeal."

Kenshin was silent for a long moment and then said coldly.

"I already knew all of this Haku, why do you think I waited for your arrival?" the dark-haired spirit's eyes narrowed. "Are you really hoping for my surrender?"

"That would be nice," replied Haku. His grin faded and his eyes turned steely. "But I don't think you are going to accept my very generous offer."

Kenshin's mocking smile also faded.

"That is the only part of your assessment that is correct Dragon," he said gravely. "I have every intention of leaving with the spell and I know you will not follow."

"I would like to know how you intend to do that," said Haku, raising a quizzical eyebrow and folding his arms.

"Simple," said the spirit. His grey eyes flicked to Chihiro. "Human sacrifice."

Chihiro's heart turned cold. Things seemed to slow down and she was intensely aware of her quickened pulse and breathlessness. Before Haku could even move, Kenshin made a casual gesture with his hand. Haku was knocked sideways, as if he had been hit by another hidden barrier. He rolled several times before landing in a groaning heap. Chihiro blinked, it was all happening so fast! Then Kenshin's face was inches before hers. His grey eyes were hollow and emotionless once more. She noticed things she had not before; he was paler than she had ever seen him and there was perspiration beading on his brow.

Haku was right. Kenshin was at the end of his strength, but somehow he kept going, somehow his hatred was driving him beyond his limits.

"It was always going to come to this I suppose," he said tonelessly. "I tried my best to give you a chance."

She nodded once. She knew he spoke the truth, he had tried. She started to tremble; she could do nothing to defend herself, not even run. Tears pricked at her eyes. She was so scared... what was he going to do? Kenshin towered over her, had he always been so tall? She had not noticed before now. His black hair was starting to come loose from its braid and she almost wanted to smooth it back into place; show him tenderness one last time, because she knew what he was about to do. It was odd, she had stopped shaking. She was not as afraid anymore, instead she felt hopelessly sad. She looked up at him desperately, his expression may not show it but she knew this was going to hurt him. If he cared nothing for her then he would not have tried to change her fate.

"I am sorry," he said softly. "This is all her fault."

She knew who he was blaming, the same person he blamed for all his misfortune, his mother.

Her pride told her not to beg, he did not deserve the satisfaction of hearing such words from her. She should face her fate with dignity, but she could not. It was not just her life hanging in the balance.

"Please," she whimpered. "I must live. The baby does not deserve any of this."

His eyes closed, she knew he did it to hide his pain. When they opened again they were as cold as a grey winter sky.

"I am sorry granddaughter," he whispered.

It was quick, she was grateful for that at least.

She did not know it had happened at first. She felt pressure, enough to knock the wind from her. He was gone, where, she did not know. She could hear someone screaming, as if part of them had just been ripped off. Then the cry changed sounding more like a howl then a scream.

The next thing she was aware of was pain. Her whole body was paralysed with it. She felt her knees buckle and she fell. The cool marble slapped against her back and the pain blinded her. She managed to turn her head and tried to make her watery eyes focus.

There was a sword sticking out of the centre of her chest.

"_So that's why it hurts to breathe,"_ she thought absently. She found she could think, if she concentrated. The blade before her looked sharp enough to cut stone. The sword was in deep... half its length. She could actually feel it inside her! Her body throbbed around it and blood seeped from the wound with every heartbeat, welling up from where blade met tender flesh. Her breath rattled and her body trembled. Her head lolled back; she did not have the strength to keep looking. Tears leaked from her eyes, but she did not make a sound. Water and flashes of light filled her vision.

The ground shook. She did not care. She concentrated on breathing. It hurt; she wanted to give up and fall asleep... a tiny, terrified voice whimpered in her mind... it kept her fighting.

"_I'm scared... it hurts!... Why does it hurt?" _

She tried to think comforting things to the little voice, but she could not, her mind wounded and numb.

"_He did not kill me,"_ she thought. _"He could have, easily, why did he not kill me?"_ She thought he might have shown her compassion, one final act of kindness, but then she realised what he had done. She would die, slowly, and Haku would not leave her side. Kenshin had left her to die so he could escape.

Suddenly her vision was filled by a battered face and a pair of frantic green eyes.

"Chi... Chihiro?" he whispered. He cradled her face with trembling hands. "Chihiro? Can you talk?" She wheezed out a breath she hoped would shape itself into a word. He understood.

"No," he said gently. "No don't try... I...I..." he moistened his bleeding lips and shuddered again. "I don't know what to do!" he half wailed. "I meant to study human anatomy, I really did! But we were always so busy and Zeniba knew it all anyway and..." water dripped onto her face. He was crying? She struggled to focus and saw that the beautiful green eyes above her were awash with crystal droplets. They splattered down his cheeks and what she was sure was a broken nose. His lips wobbled like an upset child's; her heart hurt simply looking at him. It had not been his fault, but she knew he was going to blame himself. He had said he would protect her, but he could not have possibly realised the lengths that Kenshin was willing to go.. Haku had done everything he could to keep her safe; she had been the one to make him bring her here. This was her fault, if it was anyone's, but she could not tell him this or tell him to dry his tears. She could not comfort him at all; she could not even take his hand.

Haku seemed to sense her frustration. He grasped her hand and rested it tenderly against his bruised cheek.

"_We can talk like this,"_ whispered a voice in her mind. _"If you let us."_ His voice in her head sounded much steadier but she could hear a note of panic. She tried to order her thoughts. The pain was beginning to lessen slightly and she was feeling light headed and sleepy.

"_Do I pull this out?"_ he indicated to the blade.

"_No,"_ she managed. _"I will bleed faster." _

"_Alright,"_ he replied, his hand moving back from the blade quickly. _"Tell me what to do!" _he implored.

"_I don't know,"_ Chihiro replied. They could not leave the room as all the doors were blocked and Haku's magic was useless because of Kenshin's spell. Even if they could leave, she was not sure she would survive being moved. She did not want to tell him that she thought she was dying. There was still had something that needed to be done, something urgent... something bigger than her... more important than Haku and herself.

"_This was not supposed to happen,"_ his voice echoed around her mind. _"He should hardly be able to move, even with the energy he stole! I don't understand! Where did he get enough energy to incapacitate me?"_ his eyes drifted again to her chest. "Forgive me Chihiro," he said, aloud. "This... this is not...this should not..." Haku looked at her hopelessly. Why did it have to be like this?" he asked. Something floated to the surface of her mind, a memory of sorts. A voice she recognised as her own whispered to her.

"_All relationships between spirits and humans are cursed. Why did we think we would be different?" _

She knew he had heard her thought when he started to sob brokenly.

"All I ever wanted to do was love you, was that so wrong?"

Chihiro found herself smiling. No, it was not wrong. She was lucky to have had the love of someone like him and she would have liked to have had the time to get to know him again, there was no time left. She could not feel her legs anymore. She knew it was a bad sign. The frightened voice in her mind had fallen silent too. She was glad; she did not want the baby to suffer.

"_Kenshin?"_ she managed to think.

She felt Haku shudder and saw his eyes harden

" Kenshin is gone," he whispered.

"_You must..."_ she tried, but he interrupted her.

"_I must save you... I don't care if both worlds burn, my only concern is you." _He hissed, wiping angrily at his eyes.

"_You must..."_ she tried again.

"I won't," he said firmly. Long fingers stroked her cheek. "I need to get you home. We can work out what to do there. I will be stronger there; the river will take care of everything."

"_No time!"_ she insisted. Kenshin was going to get away! He had to be caught!

"Your quest is over little one," he said, coaxingly. "You need to rest. I will find a way to get us out and take us home... Linca too, she is still alive!"

"_No."_ she ordered firmly. His eyes narrowed and she knew she was not going to get him to agree.

"This is not your decision little one," he said in a hard tone. "I will do what is best for you and our child." She closed her eyes and her chest tightened, making her wheeze. She was dying; no amount of magical river water could change that. She had lost too much blood. How could she make him see that he had to finish this for her? She refused to die for nothing. This was her duty and she could not abandon it.

"_Put one foot before the other,"_ an unfamiliar voice whispered in her mind_. "Final wishes have power. Do what must be done."_ Her fingers twitched against his face. This would break him. It did not matter. Three lives against millions. Mathematics could not be argued with.

"_Haku,"_ she thought at him. He looked at her sharply.

"_I need you to..." _

"No!" he interrupted her again. "I will not leave you!"

"_I need you to go after him,"_ she managed to say at last.

"No," he said simply. She sighed and her breath rasped. She realised she was starting to pant.

"_You have to,"_ she insisted_. "If you love me at all you will do this for me." _

His eyes widened with shock.

"That is not fair Chihiro," he whispered.

"_You can do nothing for me,"_ she thought at him. She watched the hope drain from his eyes and hated herself. _"You must finish this as I can't."_

"Don't make me do this Chihiro," he pleaded, finally realising what she was about to do.

"_You have to,"_ Chihiro thought weakly. _"There is no one else."_ Her vision darkened; she closed her eyes. She was out of time. At least, if she lost her vision, she would not have to see the torment on his face.

"_This is my final wish Haku,"_ she thought at him.

Haku gasped and then his breath left him in a shuddering exhale. She felt his mind retreat from her own. She could feel a change in the air and there was a metallic scent that had nothing to do with the blood filling her lungs. Her wish was binding. He remained kneeling beside her, absolutely silent and utterly still. She knew he was probably fighting whatever she had just cursed him with. Eventually he spoke.

"You must stay awake until I return," he said in a dead tone.

"I will," she gasped. The lie was easy.

Haku leant forward and she felt his lips on her own. They were cold and emotionless. She realised she had dashed any hope he still may have harboured.

"_This will kill him,"_ she thought to herself.

"I will see you soon," he murmured. Chihiro knew what he was not saying. He was going to follow her no matter where she went, even into death.

"_I'll be waiting,"_ she rasped in reply. She felt his presence retract from her entirely and she opened her eyes. She was alone. Chihiro wondered how he had escaped the hall. She looked up and saw a streak of white move across the black. She had seen it before... somewhere.

Finally her lip trembled. She looked up at the black sky with its myriad of stars and felt cold. She shivered, causing the pain in her chest to pulse through her body. Chihiro smiled. If she still hurt, then her body had not given up on her quite yet. Pain meant she was still alive. She was feeling so detached and light-headed that the pain was welcome.

"_I'm so sorry,"_ she thought dreamily to the cold sky, not really knowing who the apology was meant for. _"He won't fail, he is strong." _She felt a different sort of pain when she remembered the hurt and panic on Haku's face. _"He won't fail because he loves me."_ She closed her eyes. _"If I had lived perhaps I would have loved him too." _

She smiled.

Perhaps wherever she was going she would remember him. She was not scared anymore, just tired. _"I need to rest." _She thought hazily_. "If I rest, then I may still be breathing when he gets back."_ It was a fragile hope but she clung to it. She was not going to give up quite yet. She was supposed to be stubborn, or so she had been told. She had a reputation to maintain even if she did not remember. She slipped slowly into unconsciousness.

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Woot! Made my self imposed deadline. Will be aiming to publish again on the 28th of Feb. work permitting, this time of year is manic for me.


	55. Without an end there can be no beginning

_**Without an end there can be no beginning.**_

Haku took to the sky, following the scent of the spell and its creator. It was easier to think in dragon form. The crushing emotions he experienced in his other physical form were dulled. He was left with only one overpowering emotion; rage. Pure, white hot and it burned through him. The spirit he pursued had hurt his mate, possibly killed her. He would have stayed by her side but even he could not disobey the old laws. He was driven to complete the task she had appointed him. His will had no bearing on the situation. His anger was directed at her also. If she had not been so loyal... she would never have come for him, she would have lived. He fed the fires of his anger and such thoughts vanished.

He was hunting and his prey was not only highly intelligent, it was cold blooded and ruthless. He had underestimated his prey and it had cost him both mate and child. He roared his outrage to the speck in the sky that was his target. His prey was fast, but Haku knew it was only a matter of time before he chased him to exhaustion. He poured his hatred into his serpentine muscles and streaked across the sky like a white arrow fletched with green feathers.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kenshin would never have thought the dragon would come after him. He was infatuated with his mate, surely he would have stayed with her? Perhaps he had miscalculated and she was dead already. It was difficult to maintain any speed as his talons clutched a large obsidian ball. The wing muscles of his bird form ached and the cold desert night seemed to penetrate his feathers. There was not enough strength left in him! He could not waste his energy on a chase. The dragon would catch him! This was clearly something he could not let happen. He had sacrificed everything for what he carried. He would not allow an enraged lizard to snatch victory from him now!

He folded his wings and plummeted to the ground. He landed awkwardly and changed form. He heard the dragon bellow. There was no time left. Kenshin brought his wrist to his mouth and bit it, tearing out a chunk of flesh so he did not immediately heal. He did the same to his other wrist. Blood flowed steadily from the wounds as did the residual power within him. He crouched and pressed his wounds to the black ball. The stone absorbed the viscous fluid, letting not a single drop spill to the sandy ground. Kenshin reflected that it was fitting that a spell that was born from his blood was now to be completed in the same way. Donating his own life force, he knew he was sacrificing the last thing he had left to give. He watched the sky dispassionately. He hoped he had enough time, he refused to surrender. He had no doubt that Haku would show him no mercy. Kenshin smiled to himself. He would have done exactly the same in Haku's position. He felt his body begin to struggle. It was protesting at the loss of both blood and power. Kenshin overruled his instincts. His own discomfort was nothing, the spell was all that mattered. That and the new world that would be forged from it.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

When Haku landed he found his prey slumped over a large ball of black rock. He knew what his prey had done. Red light was bleeding into the light sky from the ball. It was complete; the spell now had enough energy to sustain itself. In a few short days the border between the worlds would be erased. The dragon's heart chilled. Had he failed? Could he not even grant his mate her last wish? He did not even have that as consolation?

Fury made him cruel. With a snarl he took the limp form of his still breathing prey between his jaws and tossed him away from the spell. The small smile of triumph and the calm acceptance of his fate only succeeded in infuriating the dragon more. Haku lashed out with razor sharp talons, just as a cat would. He felt his claws etch marks on his prey's bones. He did not savage him for long. There was little point. His prey made no sound and did nothing to defend himself. Haku snarled. There was no satisfaction in killing something that was moments from death anyway. Why rush the process? Chihiro had been left to suffer; now her murderer would suffer as she did. It was not enough for Haku. He wanted revenge, he wanted to best his enemy and see the look of defeat in his eyes before he expired. Haku's gaze fixed on the obsidian ball at his feet and then followed the path of the beam of light it emitted into the sky. He snarled again. The spell was practically indestructible. He could drop it into a lava pit and it would still complete its purpose.

"Your efforts are useless, dragon," said a weak, broken voice behind him.

Haku was surprised his former prey could even talk. He decided he should have ripped his tongue out. He ignored the dying spirit, however; he was trying to think. If his incarceration had any benefit at all, it had sharpened his wits. He was driven to complete his mate's wish but if he did so quickly enough then perhaps she would still be alive and he could attempt to save her and the baby. He knew his hope was a feeble one, but it was all he had. He forced his rage down and tried to view the situation objectively.

"You cannot destroy it," said Kenshin, voice rasping. "Go back to Chihiro."

Haku growled and snapped his jaws in warning. His enemy had no right to even say her name! His attention returned to the spell. He watched the red light swirl over the surface of the ball. It seemed familiar to him somehow. Haku suddenly realised why. Nearly a third of the energy in the spell was his own power.

The spell was partly his.

Hope flared. It was still indestructible but he could possibly direct it. An idea formed. It could not be undone but he might not need to undo it. In fact he planned on speeding it up! All he needed was more of his own energy and enough willpower to fight the side effects of his scheme. He picked up the ball in his mouth. It tasted of blood. He sneered down at his former prey. There was still a chance. Kenshin had not accounted for the ingenuity that could be born of desperation. He needed to get to water. Anything would do; a river, stream, anything that was connected to the sea. He could reconnect with his own river through the unending cycle of water that connected nearly every place in the spirit world together. This was not like his previous separation from the source of his power. He knew where his home was and he could contact it from a distance.

He had never really tested the true limits of his power, he had never had to. Keeping Chihiro in the human world while maintaining a corporeal existence had been a trial. It had weakened him, leading to his capture. He should have swallowed his pride and taken his true form, but that would have sent the bath house into a panic. He was a dragon, that alone was enough to intimidate most; his true form was raw power, he would have scared the customers! Still, in his true form he would not have felt the effects of the power drain and certainly not have been captured. He sometimes forgot, himself, that he was a member of one of the oldest races still in existence. Nature cherished his kind and it was said that dragons were created purely from old magic at the birth of the planet. He was not only classed as nobility, he was a God! He did not have to accept what this mere air spirit had done. Kenshin stared at him, or rather the eye that was not ripped out stared at him.

"You will kill yourself if you try to interfere," he warned.

"_We will see,"_ Haku thought at him. He knew he was probably indulging the arrogance his race were famous for, something he tried desperately to distance himself from for his mate's sake, but he had ceased to care in this instance. His enemy was ancient, far older than himself, but he had forgotten there was a hierarchy in the spirit world for a reason. Power, not age, was what ultimately divided the species and classes. He had only once dropped all masks and showed a being what he truly was and that had been Chihiro. The Old Ones knew, of course, but had never witnessed a demonstration.

Chihiro had not been able to comprehend what he had shown her. He had found it endearing. She only saw the person he was and was unaffected by his standing in society or his capabilities. She may not know his true nature but she loved him for _who_ he was, not _what_ he was. He might be a young dragon, but he was purebred and his mother had been one of the most powerful beings in both worlds. Even the humans were respectful of the waters she ruled because she could be cruel far more often than she was kind. The Black Dragon River the humans called her. She had not raised him, she was purely elemental and had not taken physical form for millennia. He had inherited her abilities none the less. He did not miss her presence in his life; he had never known her so there was no emotion associated with her. He might have been the same as her. He had almost become a creature of pure element, content to think of seasons and flow rates for the rest of existence, had it not been for a little girl and her pink shoe. She had loved him even without understanding him. He had not minded, he grew attached to the form he had made for her and happily accepted the limits it imposed on him. Living was better than existing! His abilities, however, were much reduced in his flesh and blood body.

He turned to the dying spirit and for a moment let him see. Haku dropped all guises. He lost his form. He hated feeling so disconnected from physical sensation. He could not maintain his elemental form long, not without a connection to his river. Natural laws would not allow an elemental to exist without form in the physical realm. It was why the bonded spirits had to take a form to visit the bathhouse. They were forced to take a shape of some description. He snapped back to the world of scent and sensation with relief. He even welcomed the pain of the impending loss of his mate... at least he felt something; in his elemental form he felt no emotion.

The display had been seen by his enemy and he had the capacity to understand. The delicious scent of his adversary's fear shuddered through the air. Haku had very good reason to be arrogant and disregard lower spirits at times. He was so far above them that it was difficult to register them as fellow beings. It was a stubborn and infuriating human woman who had made him see differently...That and losing his power and living as a witch's servant... His enemy shrank back from what he had seen, attempting to drag himself away from the dragon who had returned to his serpentine form and was as angry as a hurricane driven storm surge.

"Why?" Kenshin's voice quivered. "Why do you suffer to live as you do?" He gasped and gurgled, signalling that his body was giving up the fight. "I could never have captured you if you had lived as nature intended."

Haku picked up the ball again. He had dropped it during his transformation. His elemental form could touch nothing, hold nothing.

Kenshin began laughing a little hysterically.

"You work in a bathhouse!" he croaked incredulously. "Why do you bother with the physical world at all?" Haku sneered at him. Had his enemy thought him weak for such activity? Or had he assumed that Haku was of mixed blood? A dragon, but not one born as a force of nature. A tame dragon? He gave a derisive snort. He was not about to answer such idiotic questions. If Kenshin did not know the reason that Haku chose a life rather than an existence then he would not comprehend an explanation anyway.

He had wasted enough time. He had made his point and now the spirit was no longer certain of his victory. He would die, never knowing if his life had been given in vain. It was a punishment and it was enough for Haku. He had to complete his mate's wish. He had decided that he was not going to accept her death either. He was a God. If he had to give all his power to save her, then he would. She deserved life and even if he had to shatter natural law he would ensure she had it! Their child deserved life! Even if he had to reincarnate her soul himself he would do it! His life was over without them and even his elemental existence understood that. Survival was programmed into him; it was one of his most basic instincts, that now extended to his mate and child.

He was sure his mother would have aided him as a child if he had ever thought to ask. He wondered if she would know how to reincarnate a mortal... Haku realised his thoughts were drifting. He was mentally and physically exhausted. Something else he did not suffer from in his elemental form. Kenshin was quite correct when he had said that the physical realm limited him.

He knew he was deluding himself. Even a dragon had very little power over death. That was nature's domain and she did not take interference kindly. He kept thinking he could change his fate. If he stopped to consider his situation rationally then he might become mired in despair. He had a wish to fulfil. He would tell himself pretty little lies until had completed his task. He took off and left his enemy to die.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chihiro's eyes slowly slid open. The first thing she was aware of was her pulse. It was slow; she could feel it throbbing lazily either side of her neck. Her thoughts were slow also. She felt cold but her body seemed to be unable to shiver. She wondered where she was. The sky above her was still black and blurry pin pricks of white light were all she could make out of the myriad of stars. She sighed, her breath bubbled and something warm splattered onto her lips. Pain shot through her chest and she almost cried out, but making sound would have taken more energy than she had to give.

Breathing was what concerned her. She needed to live. She had to. The baby would die if she gave up. She forced her uncooperative lungs to draw in shuddering breaths and then exhale with a wheeze. The pain was like nothing she had ever felt; hot in her chest, burning, but the rest of her body was so cold. She had thought her end had come when she had blacked out, now she gritted her teeth and struggled to stay conscious. She could not die! She would not!

"Chi?" said a strained voice. It was not one she recognised.

"Chi! Nod if you can hear me!" demanded the voice. She wanted the voice to go away so she could concentrate on not dying. Something in the voice, however, was hard to ignore. She let her head loll to the side. It took Chihiro's eyes a moment to focus, but a pale blue face with white eyes and white blood stained hair sticking to it eventually swam into view.

"_Linca?"_ she thought. It was odd to think that this woman had a name. Chihiro realised that she had not recognised the low throaty tones the women spoke in because she could never remember hearing her voice. She smiled at her former servant, glad she had survived.

"Chi, who did this?" Linca asked, dragging her weak body closer. It seemed the spirit woman could not walk and was forced to pull herself over the white stone floor with her forearms. Blood continued to ooze from the wounds in her forehead. She left a smeared blue trail behind her as she moved forward. It glistened wetly in the moonlight, almost glowing.

Chihiro reflected on the irony that her former servant could now speak while she was now rendered mute. It would have been funny if she was not so badly wounded. She could not answer the sprite's question so she simply stared back at her.

"I thought for a moment I had lost you!" gasped Linca, pulling herself closer still. "You would not wake up." She managed to get close enough to touch Chihiro. Linca's blood slick fingers felt the pulse in Chihiro's throat. Her white, pupil-less eyes drifted to the sword in the human's chest.

"Haku's sword!" she cried. Her eyes narrowed and she cursed in a language Chihiro did not understand. "Now that is just too cruel!" Chihiro blinked, not understanding.

"He stabbed you with the blade Haku made. At least I am assuming tall, pale and psychotic did this to you... You modified the sword, of course. You had to; it broke..."

Chihiro could not keep up with the stream of constant chatter. No wonder the sprite had been made mute!

"Where is Haku?" Linca suddenly snapped. "There is no way I can deal with this alone!" Her eyes swept around the moonlit hall. "Oh," she said softly. "The spell is gone." Her eyes flicked back to Chihiro. "He followed Kenshin?" she asked, not expecting an answer. A sad smile pulled at her lips. "I also presume leaving you like this was not his idea..." Chihiro made the effort to nod this time, once, wheezing as she did so.

"That was brutal, Chi," muttered the sprite. "You really have no idea..." Her breath shuddered in a half sob. "You idiot," she whispered in a fond tone. Her sticky fingers trailed over Chihiro's cheek.

"You owe nothing to anyone, Chi; why are you throwing your life away on this? You have so much to live for!" The volume of her voice increased until she was almost shouting. All Chihiro could do was look at her angry expression and feel the tears welling up in her eyes again.

"_This was the only way!"_ she thought at the sprite_. "I'm not strong enough to see this through to the end. I'm just a weak, pathetic human. Vermin in the eyes of spiritkind. What difference does it make if I live or die? I can't finish this, but he can. He has to!" _She knew she was beginning to despair, her resolve was wavering. She could not help it. The cold she felt seemed to be seeping into her bones and all her energy was draining away. She just wanted the pain to go away, she was so tired...

Linca seemed to sense what she was feeling and sagged, her injured forehead resting on Chihiro's slightly rounded belly.

"Don't cry, Chi, please don't," she begged in a small voice. Chihiro gave a silent sob, followed by a gurgled scream as the blade in her chest shifted slightly. Linca struggled to sit up and leant over to rest her hand on Chihiro's forehead. Her hand was deliciously warm against the chilled skin.

"It's okay," the sprite cooed. "I'm here, you're my beloved sister and I am going to fix this." Chihiro relaxed, believing her despite the impossibility of her words. Linca sat back and glanced around the room.

"I just need a moment to think," she whispered. After a brief pause she gave a small distressed whimper. "If only I had my power!" She hissed, suddenly angry again. "That bloody chemical is still making me crazy. I don't know how much time I have before I start to crave my 'lover' again," she spat. "Kenshin's power no longer binds me so I have nothing left to temper the addiction." She glanced down at Chihiro and patted her head. Chihiro did not understand. She did not know what Linca was talking about.

"Nothing for you to worry about, Chi; I'm just thinking out loud," she said with a tight smile. "I'm not useless to you yet." The sprite yanked at her unusable legs so she was now kneeling at Chihiro's side. "What do I do?" she murmured, her eyes darting left and right. "What do I do?" she repeated. "I'm not sure I have enough energy left to transform. If I can, is there enough time left to get help?" Chihiro's fingers twitched slightly and then shifted to touch Linca's hand. She sighed and hoped her mouth shaped the word correctly.

"Stay," she breathed and mentally added. _"I don't want to face this alone, I'm scared!" _Linca's eyes widened.

"CHI!" Linca protested. Chihiro tried to smile at her.

"_You can do nothing,"_ she thought_. "Just stay with me. It will be easier for me."_

Linca's eyes hardened to chips of marble. Unlike Haku, she was not panicking, and Chihiro appreciated that. Still, Haku had had few options and Linca had none at all. Her power was gone. Surely she was just trying to give Chihiro hope? Even if it was false hope Chihiro loved her for trying.

"I refuse to let you die, human!" Linca snarled as if guessing her thoughts. "That's my niece inside you and there is no way this aunt is going to let her leave this world before she has even had a chance to see it!" Chihiro's tears flowed faster. Linca was making this so hard! She needed help to face her final moments with courage; denying the facts was helping neither of them.

"By rights it should be me with a sword in my chest," muttered Linca. "I'm the one who made you surrender to Kenshin." She stroked Chihiro's hair and smiled at her.

"You are so young. I'm over 400 years old. You have a baby and a mate, I only have you and Haku... and Rin, of course, but you won't remember her." The sprite sniffed and Chihiro thought she might be about to cry. "You've been so kind to me, but I'm lonely, Chi." She moistened her blue lips and there were indeed tears trailing down her smiling face. "I guess there is no other way, my darling sister. I guess this is fitting really." Her smile held such aching sadness that Chihiro would have hugged her if she could. Linca's fingers reached out and brushed lightly against the hilt of the protruding sword. Chihiro's eyes widened with fear. What did she intend to do?

"What do you say, swordy?" said Linca to the blade. "How about we both redeem ourselves?"

"Yes," said a crisp, deeply sad voice. It was the same voice that had told Chihiro about the power of final wishes. Chihiro thought she might have jumped in surprise if she had been able. The sword could talk?

"You know what is required, land spirit?" it asked.

"Yes, but I will need your help. I might miss at the last moment," she said with a rueful chuckle.

"I can make sure you do not," replied the blade imperiously. Linca sighed with relief and nodded.

Chihiro desperately wanted to know what was going on. Linca looked down at her perplexed face and laughed.

"Swordy and I are about to make one of the oldest of bargains," she explained. Her hand closed around the hilt of the blade. Chihiro winced as it moved in her chest slightly.

"What sort of bargain?" Chihiro wondered, hoping her question would show in her eyes.

The sad and brittle smile melted from Linca's face. She looked straight at Chihiro and for a moment Chihiro thought she was gazing into her soul.

"A life for a life," she whispered.

With that she ripped the blade from Chihiro's chest with a quick jerk. Chihiro gasped and gurgled in an attempt to scream. It hurt! It hurt so much! She watched in horror as Linca took the red and dripping blade in both hands and closed her eyes. Then, in a movement so fast it blurred in Chihiro's vision, Linca changed her grip on the hilt and the blade swung towards her. She hesitated for a moment then plunged the blade into her own chest.

The blade sank straight through her small body and protruded from her back. Her high pitched scream echoed through the marble hall. A pure note of perfectly expressed agony. She was motionless for a moment, head thrown back, mouth open, white eyes staring into nothingness.

She crumpled sideways, her head landing in a pool of blue blood that was steadily spreading around her. The silken strands of her white hair soaked up the blood like a sponge, turning powder blue. All Chihiro could do was watch in shocked silence as blood began to pump from the exit wound in the spirit's back, matching the rhythm of her heartbeat. Linca coughed and blood leaked from her mouth. Nothing proved her inhumanity more to Chihiro than when Linca turned to look at her, smiled and then spoke.

"I did not miss," she gasped. "I thought... I thought I might back out at the last moment." She chuckled weakly, more blood spattering from her lips. "I've never had to stab myself before, I was not sure I would go through with it." She moved one arm slowly, obviously fighting against the pain of the wound. Her blood slick fingers laced through Chihiro's.

"Listen to me, Chi," she said softly. "I know you hurt, but you have to accept my gift."

"_Gift?"_ thought Chihiro, her mind still reeling. _"What...?"_ Then she realised.

Linca was offering her life.

She did her best to shake her head. She could not do this. Linca gave her a penetrating look.

"It's too late to say 'no'," she sighed. "You will die quickly and painfully now the sword is gone and my body is too weak to regenerate. I will die slowly and painfully." She clenched Chihiro's hand tightly. "I would rather die than go back to what the love talker has turned me into," she whispered harshly. "There is no cure for what ails me, Chi. I know you don't remember, but my life is over either way. I choose to pass on rather than it being decided for me and I am offering everything I have left to you," she explained breathily.

"_I can't!"_ Chihiro's mind cried. _"I can't let you do this!"_

Linca guessed or sensed what she was thinking.

"The choice is mine, not yours, sister," she said softly. Then her expression and voice darkened. "I die today no matter what you decide. At least allow me a chance to leave this world with honour. The knowledge I have saved one I love will carry me happily onwards. I will be a peace." The grip on Chihiro's hand became so firm her finger joints popped in protest. "You do not die here today, I do. Refuse me and I will kick your arse in the next world."

All Chihiro could do was look at her and weep. She was not strong enough to bear this. She could not accept this. How could she let someone die for her? She sent Haku away to prevent him doing something like this. Fate, it seemed, loved to give her the hard choices.

"At least I am giving myself to someone I love; you are about to die for people you have never met and will never meet." Chihiro blinked. She had not really thought about it that way. She was not trying to be a martyr, she wanted to live, but at such a cost? Could she be that selfish? "You have a child," Linca pressed. "I will save her too." Darkness began to creep into Chihiro's vision. "I can't make you do this, Chi," whispered Linca. "This is a gift that must be taken voluntarily." She grinned; her teeth were now also stained with blue blood. "I would have made you do it already if I could, but ancient magic is a bit of a bugger. Got to follow the rules or it won't play with you." She sobered again and gave Chihiro a pleading look.

"Accept or we both die," she whispered her lip wobbling. "Do not make my sacrifice meaningless." Chihiro could not look away from those pain filled white eyes. "This was in the prophecy," Linca continued. "One will make the ultimate sacrifice," she quoted, confusing Chihiro. "It was talking about me, Chi. This is my moment, my sacrifice, my redemption." Her hand slackened on Chihiro's; she was weakening. "Don't take my destiny from me, Chi. Accept my gift and let me pass on with a smile. Do you accept?"

"Yes," Chihiro breathed, and closed her eyes, already damming herself for her selfishness.

"Thank you," whispered Linca simply. She sounded so grateful that Chihiro cried harder. She did not realise she was weeping out loud until she half choked and snorted. Her chest did not throb in response. Carefully, she moved a hand to her chest. There was no wound. Her flesh was smooth and unmarked. The only evidence left that she had been injured was the hole in her clothing. She gasped and rolled over. It took her a moment to struggle shakily to her hands and knees, she slipped several times in the blood on the floor but she eventually managed to crawl the short distance to Linca's side. The sprite was smiling at her, her skin now almost completely white. Her chest rose and fell in rapid gasps. The sword had vanished, but the wound was still there.

"Good... choice..." Linca gasped.

"Linca," Chihiro whispered her name in a reverent tone. She had no idea what to say. She reached out and brought the limp form of the small sprite to her. She pulled her to her chest silently. No words could express the emotions that pulled at her heart. She thought it might literally break from the strain. She was elated, ashamed and grief stricken all at the same time. She could feel the blood seeping from Linca's chest. It ran beneath her own saturated clothes, between her breasts, down her stomach to pool and congeal in her lap. The sprite shuddered in her arms, too weak to even return her sister's embrace.

"Don't feel sad," she whispered, voice shaking. "I've got someone waiting for me... He has been waiting so long." She swallowed and shuddered again. "I have missed him so much."

Chihiro could feel the pulse in Linca's neck slow where it was rested against her shoulder. She did her best to listen to the sprite's every whispered word; she wanted to remember them forever. It was all she could give in return.

"You will live a long and happy life, Chi," the sprite ordered. "When I see you again I expect you to have lived to a hundred and five and have spawned many siblings for the little dragon in you right now to play with." Chihiro sobbed brokenly at this and buried her face in the sprite's shoulder, smearing blue blood all over her face. She did not care. This blood had been shed for her; it was precious. This woman bled so she could live. She may have forgotten much but this she would never forget. She would make sure this woman was remembered.

"You... will be different now," Linca breathed in her ear. "It's not something I can help, but you will still be you." Chihiro did not care. Linca had saved her, she would accept whatever the spirit's gift entailed and be grateful. "Be happy or I will be angry," Linca ordered again. "That is all I ever wanted for you." Chihiro nodded against the sprite's neck. "He loves you, Chi," sighed the spirit. "You will remember." Again Chihiro nodded. She would do anything Linca asked. "Don't you dare... disappoint me...sister," Linca struggled to say. She gave a shudder and her breath failed her. Chihiro gritted her teeth and waited. Linca did not draw breath again.

Slowly she lay the sprite on the floor. Her eyes were closed and there was a peaceful smile on her lips. Chihiro smoothed back the blood stained hair and tried to wipe some of it from Linca's face. Tears dripped onto the sprite's face, making clean patches in the blood smears. Chihiro took the spirit's small hands in her own and kissed the palms with trembling lips. She rested the lifeless hands on the spirit's stomach.

"Thank you," she whispered at last. "I will make you proud of me, you have my word."

The spirit woman's skin began to glow, appearing translucent for a moment, then became so bright Chihiro had to cover her eyes. When she looked again the body was gone and all that remained was a bundle of white, blood stained feathers. Chihiro stared at them, numb. A chilly desert breeze sighed through the hall, stirring the feathers, threatening to carry them away. Chihiro grabbed a handful of them. The ones that escaped her grasp rose into the sky, fluttering and eddying away on the wind. Chihiro stared until she lost sight of them. She felt empty. She had no idea what to do next. She opened her hand and looked at the feathers. Her hands were stained with both her and Linca's blood. The feathers were becoming sodden with the mixed blood, rapidly turning them purple. Soon she had a handful of sticky lilac feathers. She knew they were meant for her, proof of Linca's gift to her. She closed her hand and held the feathers to her chest. She had thought she had no tears left; she was proved wrong. Heavy sobs shuddered through her. Her body rocked back and forward in her grief. Strange animalistic noises were released from her throat. Finally she threw her head back and screamed in bitter anguish at the stars.

She did not notice the cracks forming in the marble around her, or the building shuddering with her every sob. Even when she did notice she did not care. She continued to cry as the building fell apart around her. It was as if it represented her breaking heart.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Yes I know this is VERY late, but check out my profile for my VERY valid excuse! **

**Have had this chapter planned for a LONG time. I was really worried I would screw it up. It first popped into my head when I received some fan art from the sister of Daishar (Dai is one of my most prolific fanartists), it has been kicking around my head since then. So thank you Gab! The fanart is simply titled "Linca by sister of daishar" and it is on the velf fanart site (link on my FF profile.) **

**I also have new fanart! "Are we friends again? By red-edd." Take a peek!**


	56. The End of the World

The End of the World

Kenshin looked at the stars. He felt so very tired, as if all the years of his long life were suddenly pressing down on him from above. His breath came slowly, but it was uneven and ragged. He wondered, idly how long it had been since he simply looked at the stars. Not for any reason in particular, but just a passing glance to admire them. If he could not even remember doing such a thing then it could have been centuries. He was old, too old. He had no idea how his mother managed to cope with the pressure of the ages. Even he did not know how old she was.

"_It would have been better if she never raised me,"_ he thought_. "I should have been left to raise myself, as bonded spirits do." _He shivered. He felt cold. An image flashed across his mind.

Chihiro's face, frozen in shock. Had she truly believed him incapable of such a thing? He sighed, breath bubbling. Not his finest moment. There was no honour in leaving her to die slowly, but he had done what he had to. Still, he felt angry she had been driven to do such a thing. He had grown fond of her. She was harmless really; a poor weak child trying to do what she had been told was the right thing. It was a shameful act he had committed, but it was not his shame alone. His mother had driven a woman with child to stand against him. His mother's hands were just as stained with her blood, perhaps more so. He turned his thoughts from Chihiro. The spell was all that truly mattered.

He was not concerned about his spell. Haku could blast it to its component materials and it would still fulfil its purpose. The spell was self-sustaining now; it would survive. Kenshin had been surprised by the dragon's power. The face Kohaku presented to the world was a mere façade. The dragon may rule over an underground lake, , yet if he wished, he could seize control of an ocean. However, the dragon was seemingly content with his lake, his bathhouse and his human. Or rather he had been until Kenshin had killed his mate. The dragon would likely go insane with grief and cause another wave of chaos in the joined worlds.

"_I should have forced him to change form when I captured him,"_ Kenshin thought. _"I would have seen what he was. I could have drained him faster and had the spell completed in half the time."_ Hindsight was a wonderful thing. It did not matter, the spell was finished. He would have liked to have seen the new world. He would have helped it through its painful and bloody birth. It would have given him another purpose, something his life had lacked until he committed himself to reunification. His breath shuddered. He was not going to last much longer. He considered what he would face next. He did not fear his death; he was actually finding the process interesting, though he could have done without so much pain. This was something of which had no experience. He had caused the death of others, and now he was to experience the process himself. He hoped reincarnation did not await him; his weary soul needed a rest.

"I'm so tired," he whispered.

"Then perhaps you should have stayed asleep," said a melodious female voice that sent a chill down his spine. He turned his head to see his mother standing barefoot in the sands of his desert. For once she wore simple work clothes, her black hair, glossy and shiny, so unlike his own dark hair that had never reflected the light. Her purple eyes showed little emotion but he knew her even better than her current mate did. He knew she felt pity for him and his hatred of her almost stopped his already faltering heart.

"You better be an illusion," he spat, blood spotting his lips. A black eyebrow rose slightly but otherwise her face was expressionless.

"Perhaps I am real, what would you do if I were real?" she asked calmly.

"Then I will rip your throat out!" he hissed.

A second black eyebrow rose to join the first, disbelief fluttering over her perfect features.

"I think that is highly unlikely to happen in your current condition," she countered gently.

He snarled at her.

"The spell is complete mother," he growled, ignoring the pain it caused in his mutilated chest, voice dripping with scorn. She was the only one who could ever make him feel such rushes of emotion, yet another reason for him to hate her. "Enjoy your final days!"

"You truly think that will happen?" she asked softly. "Do you think me so easily destroyed?"

"When the rift is gone, so will you be," he snapped. She was trying to test his resolve, make him question himself one final time. "Your tool is dead and the dragon cannot undo the spell," he jeered. "You have but a few days. Go and spend the time wisely, do not waste it on your prodigal son."

"You are part of my family," she replied, still speaking in a maddeningly cool tone. "Who else am I to spend my last hours with?"

"Bitch!" he snarled, bareing his teeth, "Play the wounded victim if you choose, but we both know your true nature." He turned his head, refusing to look at her; he looked back to the stars instead.

"Just leave," he breathed. "Go and contemplate your death elsewhere."

He nearly screamed in rage when he heard her feet shuffle closer through the sand.

"My true nature?" she asked. "Yes," she said after a brief pause. "We both know how cruel I can be, how I have had to make decisions that pain me for the betterment of all. I never suspected my actions would cause you to set yourself against me and I certainly never sought your death as you have sought mine."

He actually choked on his indignation. He wheezed and coughed, then swallowed so he could speak.

"Lying whore!" he gasped. "The three assassins you sent are evidence to the contrary."

"Assassins?" she murmured incredulously. "You think I sent assassins?"

"I eventually got your name from the one I let live. Truth spells don't lie, neither does torture," he gasped.

"That's debatable," she commented coldly. "If the assassin was convinced the orders were from me then it would be my name given. This sounds very like a plot to quickly sour what was already a… strained relationship."

"SILENCE!" he yelled, turning to her once more. He almost managed to sit up, but collapsed. He could not breathe! He calmed himself, resolving not to speak to her again. She would make his final moments bitter. He would not give her that satisfaction.

He heard her approach him once more and he almost whimpered as a memory flashed before him. He was barely two centuries old and had fallen when trying to run. She had held him tightly, told him how brave he was. She healed his injuries with a gentle touch then rocked him to sleep, his cheek resting on her shoulder. How had things come to this? When had he begun to hate her? When did he become an embarrassment to her? It was long ago, these memories, like most of those from his childhood, were eroded and worn to transparency with the passage of time. He could not grasp at what was left, he was too weak now to focus.

He felt hands slide under his legs and upper back. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he was lying in his mother's arms for the first time in millennia. He immediately resented the comfort she was trying to give him.

"Put me down!" he growled angrily. Sad purple eyes stared down at him. It was the only reply she gave. Rage flooded him, but he could do nothing to express it, his body was weak and ripped to shreds. He had lost much of his blood and his breath was rattling in his chest. His anger made him cruel. He took as deep a breath as he could and spat in his mother's face.

He watched in morbid fascination as blood and saliva dribbled down the bridge of her nose and over her cheek. She closed her eyes. He felt that she would surly drop him, but she did not. Her indigo eyes opened again and she smiled down at him. He was truly shocked when he saw tears running from her eyes.

"You are right to hate me," she said at last. "I was very hard on you. I honed you into something I could use. When I realised how strong you had become I tightened my grip on you lest you escape me. I could not let you go, you were mine." She moistened her lips; she did not bother to wipe her face. "I changed when I ascended to be a guardian. I saw more, knew more. I knew immediately that I had mishandled you. I had twisted my love for you with my ambition, held you too tightly and damaged you in the process…" her voice faltered but she pressed on. "The revelation came too late, you already hated me."

He stared up at her. He should be angry; he should throw her words back in her face. He was amazed to discover he could not. He could not watch her weep and confess her wrongdoing to him and not feel moved. He trembled in her arms. He was bound to her by blood and that bond still had power over him, even after the march of so many centuries. He would be a fool to deny this truth. It was pointless to lie, he was dying. He knew there was no healing from his mother this time. He could tell she was exhausted. She must have pushed herself to her limit to come to him in his final moments. He was touched by her effort, but there would be no reconciliation here, no forgiveness. Their time was at an end and the world would be better for their passing.

The reunited worlds would move forward in the coming millennia. Human and spirit would work together and a prosperous civilisation would be born. This was what was meant to be, what should always have been. He understood his mother was here to try and fix past mistakes, just as he was with his reunification spell. He understood, but he could not grant her wish, even if he desired to. They were out of time.

"You could have tried to make amends long before this…" he said at last. "Your pride would not let you admit you had failed me!" he croaked, his head throbbed and he felt dizzy.

She gave a bitter chuckle.

"Perhaps you are right," she whispered. Her face contorted for a moment, as if she was in pain, then she sighed.

"On my honour," she said in a serious tone. "I never sent assassins. I may have never shown it, but I loved you dearly, even when we were at odds." She freed her left hand and wiped blood and matted hair from his bitten and clawed face. "I love you even now, even with all the madness…even after…I will always love you."

Kenshin barked a sharp laugh.

"Don't lie," he wheezed.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The goddess watched her son's eyes flutter closed. She heard his breath still and soon after she felt his heart cease to beat. She buried her face in his bloodied chest and held him to her. Her body shook as she wept. Clouds started to roll in, building rapidly and darkening. A howl of grief echoed around the pitiless dunes. The heavens responded with a clap of thunder. The skies opened and rain poured down.

It would rain for many days to come. When the sun finally reappeared, half the glass desert would have become a vast lake. The lake would be salt water and would never dry up, despite the unrelenting heat of the sun. Future generations would give the mysterious lake a name, the sea of tears. The goddess knew all this, the knowledge was granted to her the instant her son died. She was as much an instrument of fate as any other being; even she could not escape what must be. Yet she cared little for the future at that moment. She mourned her son and felt bitter anger at her own failure. She had always intended to attempt to heal the rift between them. She had been waiting for the right opportunity. An immortal could literally wait forever if they chose to. Now she would spend her forever with the shadow of regret staining her soul. That was, if she lived.

Her exhausted second born came for her eventually. They buried the body together and in perfect silence. Both knew they had nothing to say that could change the situation. The goddess vowed on the grave of her first son that her second child would never share his half-brother's fate.

A small chubby hand gripped tightly around her little finger. Indigo eyes that were so like her own looked up at her earnestly. She knew the experience of the past few weeks had probably aged her son prematurely but there was nothing she could do about that.

"What do we do now Mamma?" he whispered, yanking at his rain drenched hair tiredly with his free hand. "Dada will be worried if he wakes up to find us both gone. He's not as strong as we are, he can't join us here."

The goddess smiled at her son's concern. She swept him up into her arms and kissed his rounded cheek.

"We have things to do first," she said with a sigh.

"We're going to fix things?" he asked. She nodded in response. He gave her a gummy smile which did a great deal to begin mending her wounded heart. She would go on; she had to for his sake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Haku smelt the water before he saw it. Salt water, the scent stung his nostrils. He had found an ocean. He did not care where he was or which ocean he was approaching, he did not even know which direction he travelled in. He had simply followed the scent of water. He was barely thinking at all. He had shut down most of his conscious thought. It hurt too much to think. If he allowed himself to contemplate what he was being forced to do, then he might not have the strength to do it.

He had to complete her wish. It was all he could do for her. He knew she was not dead yet, but she had no hope of surviving. He had seen her wound and knew that she could not lose that much blood and live. He could have tried to heal her, even if it meant using his life force to do it. What did it matter? She and their daughter were all… he wrenched his mind from thoughts of his child. He had no choice, but that tragic fact would not stop guilt and shame consuming him after his task was completed. Powerful he may be. But even he could be bound by a final wish, especially one made by his own mate.

The smell of brine was now strong in his nostrils. He sighed; even now water had the ability to sooth him. Within its embrace he would shift into his true form and would leave behind all emotions connected to the physical world. He had a plan and he needed to be at his most powerful to bring it to fruition.

A third of the spell held in his claws was his, composed of his own power. It would still obey him. He was going to use what was his to force out Kenshin's power and accept his own in its place. He was going to make it entirely his spell. After that he was not exactly sure what was going to happen, but he had a vague idea that if he could not destroy it, he would direct it. There was not much he did not know when it came to magic. Yubaba had taught him well and he had stolen even more knowledge behind her back. It had not been the best way to treat the witch. She had saved him after all. He had been wandering the plains in human form, babbling and confused after the trauma of the separation from his river.

She had taken him in, fed and clothed him, given him a job. Yes, she had controlled him and attempted to keep him ignorant of his true self. He was useful to her and she did nothing without getting something in return. That did not make her evil, just opportunistic and selfish. He had owed her better. He had driven her to take action against him, he saw that now. He had dismissed her as inconsequential, after all, how could a mere witch best him now he was in possession of his full power? Chihiro had warned him about his arrogance, he should have listened to her.

Finally he could see it. The sun was beginning to rise, painting the black water shades of lilac and silver. He dove. The wind whistled past his ears and he had to close his inner eyelids to protect his sight. The spell was creating a significant amount of drag, pulling him to the left and making his body fish tail in the air. He braced himself and hit the water hard. His body vibrated with the force. The water washed over him, caressed him, sweeping away the chill of the desert night from his bones and the sand and grit from between his scales. He breathed in the liquid, relishing as it swept the dry from his throat. His gills took over, exhaling water behind his ears. After a few breaths he let go of his dragon form. He became nothingness, pure thought. He commanded the water around him to eddy and the spell was held suspended within the water. The local water sprites were, at first, offended that he was commanding their element in their territory. He reached out to them using his will like a mental whip. They retreated quickly. Nothing would dare confront a dragon in its true form.

He concentrated, flitting through the water but unable to feel it. He turned to every direction of the compass, straining his senses. He needed a connection to his bond place. He found nothing, not even a molecule of the familiar. He did not feel fear, panic or even annoyance. He merely moved, darting through the water as easily as if it were air. He moved outwards in ever increasing circles. Still he felt nothing he recognised. He then realised that he was thinking as if he was in his river. This was the ocean, below him was utterly unknown. He would have thought that any water he was familiar with would be in the surface currents as it would float above the salt water. He stretched out his senses. He was on the edge of a gyre current that circled the entire continent. The swirling water was warm here so rose from the depths, but further north it sank rapidly. His river may not even empty into this ocean. It could take him days to find something to guide him.

However, for once, fate seemed to be on his side. Something was approaching and it was neither hostile nor fearful. He focused on the presence, it was familiar but the sense of overwhelming sadness coming from the being confused him. It was certainly not a powerful creature. It must be brave or a fool to approach him when he was busy with such an important task. Perhaps it was one of those fools that loved and worshiped his kind? He had little tolerance for those sycophants. He ignored the creature and returned to his task. Suddenly he realised why the creature was familiar. It was one of his own, a creature that he had permitted to live within his watery body. It was bound to him. He rushed to greet it. It may know how to find his river. The creature was virtually incoherent with apologies. It seemed to think it had failed him somehow. When he gently enquired as to why it felt this way it explained that it had not been able to prevent the capture of Chihiro.

That name shuddered through Haku's consciousness. He was honour bound to complete his mate's mission. He would do so, as fast as he could and the water horse had just shaved days off the time his plan would have taken. The creature knew its way to his river, which was Haku's only concern. Its sense of failure was immaterial. Something akin to, but not quite like worry clenched at Haku's mind. His river had been separated from him for some time. It was, no doubt, suffering and therefore not at full strength. He needed everything he could muster if he was to grant his mate's final wish. A weak river may sap his energy.

The waterhorse was still babbling its woes and its whines, whinnies and sobs almost irritated his current form's heightened senses. He took the initiative and knocked the spirit out with half a thought then extracted the information he needed from its mind. He left the creature drifting toward the surface on a warm current. It would take the nygel to shore eventually.

The dragon enveloped the spell in a stream of fast flowing water and directed it eastward. The spell still caused him to travel far slower than he was capable of in his true form.. He raced through the ocean as fast as friction on the spell would allow. The ball of obsidian began to glow hot as the speed of the water moving against it began to heat it.

Suddenly, Haku stopped. He smelt it. It was faint, ridiculously so, a few molecules of water that carried his power, that was all. But it was all he needed. His mind seized on the familiar buzz in the water. It only took a moment. Reconnecting was simple and completely unrepresentative of the pain he had gone through when the connection between he and his river had been severed entirely. He was blessed that he had not gone through the same trauma of being away from his river this time around. He was more experienced now and so was his river. It knew what to do if he was taken from it, how to preserve the connection in a much weaker form. The reconnect still staggered him, his mind had been quiet for some time and he was unused to the extra dimension of thought that the river's consciousness added. His mind flooded with images and information. A torrent of relief and annoyance crashed through him. Where had he been? Why had it taken him so long to contact it? How had he allowed a mere air spirit to capture him? Had he no shame? Their fearsome reputation as a member of the draconic spices was now severely damaged.

If Haku's true form had a face to show expression he would have winced at the scolding. Sometimes his river nagged more than Yubaba had when he worked with her. He began to sort through the information, skimming over the list of complaints quickly. His river had not been able to control an algal bloom in his absence and the water had become stagnant and deoxygenated. It was quite indignant at the ugly green fuzz that floated on its ripples. The fish and crustacean life forms were either leaving or dying. Many of the local spirits he had sheltered had also fled, though the river sheepishly admitted it may have been partially responsible for that. It had got frustrated with the algae and whipped up a few whirlpools to try and at least contain the slime. It had damaged the kappa settlement at the bottom of the lake and almost drowned a few drownies.

Haku despaired. He knew his river was an integral part of what and who he was but it certainly was not the smartest of sentient elements. The river resented that particular thought, but then cooed at him that he was back now and soon their child would be playing in their shallows. The river had already constructed a shallow pool for the child to bathe in. It also coyly offered that the birth could take place within it, less pain for the human and less distress for the child.

Haku coolly told the river the fate of their mate. The connection almost dropped. The river quietly enquired why Haku was in the middle of an ocean alone and not with their mortally wounded mate. It knew he would have a good reason to leave her side. Haku told it of Chihiro's final wish. At first the river was furious; Haku could feel the waves of rage crashing through his head. He wondered if his house would be still standing when he returned.

Its anger was quickly spent and the river tried to feel their mate through the bond. It panicked when it felt nothing. Haku explained that they would know if Chihiro was dead, she was probably so weak and shocked that her mind would not connect to theirs, besides, distance did weaken the connection. The river clamed and finally focused on its dragon's plan. Through Haku it felt around the spell, assessing it.

It asked if he really wanted to go through with this. There could be something else they could try now that they were linked again. Haku responded with a negative. His way was the quickest way. The river agreed but was not sure it would like the result. They had never wanted to be anything like that. Haku ignored it. All that mattered was completing the spell. He focused his will and began to push.

XXXXX

The goddess stood at the entrance to the fortress her son had built. Her other son held her hand, his purple eyes sweeping over the sight before him. The entrance was all that was left of the fortress. The empty door stood against the night sky, framing it prettily. There was not a single connecting wall left, just heaps of shattered stone and jagged rubble. The Goddess sighed. Why was everything so complicated? She had hoped to have some good come from this, been able to save something.

"Mother?" asked her son.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

"I smell things," his baby face wrinkled as he inhaled the scent laden air. "It smells like daddy's feet in the morning."

The goddesses' lips quirked.

"Sweat," she identified for him. The child nodded and sniffed again.

"I smell… metal too…" he said uncertainly.

"That's the scent of blood," she clarified. Her son frowned but absorbed her wisdom without question.

"There is something else…" he murmured. "Faint and tangy."

"Tears," the goddess said sadly. "Human tears smell differently from ours." She looked at the rubble. "They smell bitterer and more sorrowful somehow…" she said absently. "It's almost like their soul weeps when their body does." She glanced at her son. He was sucking his thumb but was watching her intently, eyes too wise for a child of his age and size.

"Is auntie dead?" he asked. "Is my mate dead?" The goddess tried to keep the scowl from her face. She was not pleased that her son seemed set on a betrothal between himself and Chihiro's daughter before she was even born. Her son was young and it was quite possible he did not understand what he was saying, yet she was becoming less sure as time passed that he was what he seemed to be. At times she felt that he was aging mentally much more quickly that his body was. She suspected her son was in possession of a very old soul. That could be both a curse and a blessing. She shook off her musings and matched her son's intense gaze.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I feel death here but I am not sure whose it is."

Suddenly the sky crackled with power. Bright red clouds boiled in from the direction of the ocean and it began to rain warm, blood-red water. Kisho shrieked in fear and jumped into his mother's arms. She shushed him and held him close, kissing his smooth cheek and stroking her fingers through his fine hair.

"Hush," she whispered. "Nothing to fear," she sighed. "Just the end of our world."

She could not decide if Haku was insane or just brilliant, probably both. She hoped he could handle the repercussions of his actions.

He had made the spell his own and hastened the process it had started.

The worlds were becoming one.

XXXXXX

A/N- Yes, to all you who asked, I am still working on this. Bit of an evil summer, hospital... emergency operations... kinda eats into writing time. Big thanks to ChaoticCalm for looking over this! Big shout out to the French translators too. They have nearly caught up!


	57. Changing of the Guard

**Changing of the Guard**

Zeniba lent out of the window of her sister's suite in the bathhouse, eyeing the sky with a sad smile. The little Neko, Mika, approached her on silent paws. She could feel the creature's fear. Zeniba supposed she should be frightened herself, but she knew she was in no danger. It was the billions of ignorant humans that would soon join them that would be the real threat. Again, not to her, she knew this was not her time to die.

She turned to the little cat behind her and smiled encouragingly.

"I'll make some tea," she announced. Mika's eyes flicked from the bloody sky to the old crone's face.

"Tea?" she said weakly. "At a time like this? The world is about to end!" the cat spirit shrieked.

"Then I had better hurry," chuckled the old witch. "I definitely need a cup of tea to face what is about to happen."

"What… what is happening?" stammered the spirit. "Is our world ending? Is a new one beginning?"

Thunder boomed and magenta lightening flashed. The spirit's ginger ears flattened against her skull and she hissed in fear.

"Nothing has happened yet," murmured Zeniba as she put the kettle on the ornate stove in the kitchen. Her sister's taste may have been vile but Zeniba had to admit her kitchen was far better equipped than her own in the cottage. She contemplated stealing some of the copper pans, compensation for her stolen seal. She liked the stove too; maybe she should take it as well.

At last she elaborated for the distressed spirit.

"This is a turning point; all our fates are in the balance at this moment. We can only hope Haku remembers himself for long enough to remain true to his intentions."

She turned back to the window. The sky practically hummed with Haku's power. Fate could be cruel, Zeniba knew that well. She could only hope it was in a generous mood this day. Mika seemed to relax; she marched purposely to the cupboard and placed two porcelain cups on the table. Zeniba smirked.

"You are comforted by such uncertainty?" she asked the spirit. "Most would be quaking in fear to know that all our futures are about to be decided by a primal force we have no control over."

Mika sat down at the table and delicately rested her paws on the table.

"If Master Haku is involved, things will turn out for the best," said Mika resolutely.

Zeniba smiled and glanced one more time at the sky. She hoped the little spirit was correct, for all their sakes.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Rin was standing on the balcony attached to her suite of rooms, looking up at the swirling clouds that had cast a dark shadow over her domain.

She frowned, her lovely face creasing into worried lines; this had something to do with Sen. She had no evidence for this but she knew that her sister had either been successful or had failed and everything was about to change. Rin glared at the clouds. She was supposed to be meeting her daughter in a few days. She did not have time for the worlds to fall apart around her.

One of the first things she had done once she had bid goodbye to Sen was open negotiations with their former allies for the return of her daughter from her imprisonment. A very carefully worded reply was in her hands a few hours later. Her daughter had not been passive in her imprisonment. She had negotiated her own release within months, though Rin knew she must have had help. Tori had been little more than a baby! She had been raised in the coast lands and granted a position as a retainer of the high lady of the clan. After all, that Lady had lost her own daughter to Hikaru's mistreatment of her, it was only fair that his daughter replaced her. In time, Tori's betrothal to the heir of the clan was reinstated. Tori had written the reply herself. She was now mated to the head of the coastal clan, joint ruler in fact.

Rin had been shocked to discover, through future correspondence, that she was a grandmother to her daughter's sixteen children. Scott had laughed so hard he had nearly fallen over when he heard that! Rin's frown softened. Scott was always laughing. His presence in the castle had been a boon to her. He refused to acknowledge her position as superior to his and called her by her first name even in court gatherings. Rin did not mind as it made a change from the sycophantic bowing and scraping of the courtiers.

Everyone feared her. Hikaru had ruled with no compassion or empathy for those around him and for his enemies, his retribution had been swift and terrible. Rin sighed. She did not want to think about that snake, his memory still haunted her. Scott's laughter and smiling face had prevented her from brooding overmuch or working herself into the ground to fix all the problems she had inherited. The domain was in a sorry state. Things like eating regular meals and sleeping seemed unimportant to her. If the people suffered, then so should she.

A blazing row with a very stubborn red-headed human man had made her see otherwise. She had been so tired on that day that she could do nothing but protest loudly when Scott had flung her over his shoulder and carried her to bed. He had threatened to tie her up if she did not rest. Judging by the look in his glacial blue eyes she believed he would carry out his threat.

She found herself smiling at the ominous clouds. She had never really understood what had captivated Haku so much when it became clear he and Chihiro were getting close. Rin loved Chihiro for her kindness and ability to accept anyone, but could not see what attracted the dragon. Haku had told her once that while humans were short lived, it meant that they took great joy in the life they were granted. Such pleasure in the simple act of being alive was infectious. Rin understood now. Scott lived with a passion and drive that put her to shame. He was not going to be a young man for long and seemed determined to enjoy his youthful years.

He took it upon himself one evening to teach half the court how to play poker, which resulted in a now legendary six hour game of alcohol-fuelled strip poker. Scott was the only one to leave the table with most of his clothes. Rin had gone to investigate the shrieks of laughter and had the privilege of seeing half the domain's nobility dashing for their rooms or rushing to take clothes from trusted retainers. Scott had refused to give the clothes he had "won" back to their owners.

She found him in his rooms later, snuggled into a huge pile of expensive garments he had piled on his bed. She had wanted to slap the silly grin off his sleeping face but had relented and saved the lecture for the morning. It went well with his hangover. Yet her scolding had not gone as well as she hoped. She had dragged all the disgraced courtiers to a morning meeting and given them all a dressing down in front of the whole court, even threatening to expel some of them.

Massaging his temples and looking more than a little green Scott had stepped forward in the middle of her tirade.

"Rin honey, please don't shout at us," he pleaded. "We know you are mad but it won't happen again." He grinned boyishly at the nobles behind him. "We were just having a bit of fun." She had been incensed to be contradicted before the whole court in such a casual manner! Seeing her fury he explained quickly.

"Things are always so serious around here; people are scared to look at you the wrong way." He gestured behind him. "I just wanted to show them how to have a little fun." His grin turned sly and Rin braced herself. She had seen that look on Sen's face many times. Humans had minds just as agile as any spirit's and as such should not be underestimated. "If you punish us now, you're just going to prove that they were right to fear you."

Rin knew she had been outmanoeuvred. In the end, she had pardoned them all and even been goaded into declaring several national holidays as a way of improving moral. She had refused to declare a national strip poker day however; though she was aware the game was still very popular with the younger members of the court and probably always would be.

Recently, Scott had been dropping hints that he intended to go home when everything was over. She was not sure how she felt about that. Having him with her, while a trial at times, had done much to heal her heart. She was not sure that she wanted to rule without someone she could trust as implicitly as she did him by her side. She owed him; he had been hurt because of her and nearly died. Of course he missed his family, but she had to admit that she would miss him too.

"None of that matters now," she muttered, casting her eyes back to the sky. She heard footsteps beside her and knew, before she turned her head, that what the court affectionately called her "pet human" had found her.

"Never seen weather like that before," he murmured, sounding worried. "I take it that's not natural around here?"

"It's magic," she replied softly. "Something to do with Sen; I am certain of it." She heard him swear then he made an odd gesture with his hands and muttered under his breath. "What are you doing?" she asked, alarmed. He was human and yet hand gestures and chanting had all the hallmarks of a spell.

He blushed, as if getting caught doing something shameful.

"I'm praying," he said under his breath. Rin blinked. He had flatly told the goddess of their world that he did not believe in any religion and that included her own. He shrugged under her gaze. "I still think it's nonsense," he said defensively, his eyes moving back to the red sky. "But looking at that…" he trailed off and was silent for a moment. Rin thought he might be teetering on the edge of despair in the face of such a display of raw power. Suddenly he shook himself and smiled down at her.

"Well… it can't hurt, I could be wrong."

Rin sighed and nodded.

"Sen will be fine," she reassured him.

"I know," he said gently, his eyes un-focusing. "I've never met anyone with such inner strength. If anyone can win, it's her."

Rin felt a slight burning sensation in her chest but dismissed it. She refused to acknowledge such petty emotions. His eyes snapped back to her and for a moment she was dazzled by the kind smile he treated her to. He took her hand and clasped it in his own. She knew he was attempting to comfort her but she had to repress a shudder of delight at the feeling of his warm skin sliding over hers. She pressed her lips together and focused on not blushing, grandmothers did not blush! His smile widened and, as if guessing she was uncomfortable, he dropped her hand.

"It's not easy being left behind," he sighed. "This is the second time Chihiro's left me. I am beginning to see a pattern here."

"It sucks," said Rin, borrowing the human expression. Scott chuckled ruefully and lent on the rail of the balcony.

"Yes it does," he muttered. They were silent for a moment, their thoughts with those far away. Scott straightened up.

"That's my limit of doom for one day," he declared and turned back to castle. "If the world is ending, beginning, getting screwed up or anything else I can do sod all about it." He squared his shoulders, "We need a party."

He strolled purposefully back inside as Rin took one last look at the sky.

"Be safe Sen," she murmured before turning to catch up with her human and assist in the organising of his 'doom party.'

It was only later that she had time to wonder when she had started to think of him as _her_ human.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Goddess abandoned her search for Chihiro and switched her attention to the direction the boiling clouds were coming from. She was no longer rift guardian and as such she could not transport herself with the little power she had left. She hesitated, was it wise to chase after the dragon? There was not much she could do for him. She could help others, the humans for example, that were beginning to stumble from their world to the spirit world as the two worlds merged. Her child clung to her tightly and whispered one word in her ear.

"Run."

Her feet were moving before she had even thought about it. Her life and that of her child's was connected to the rift between the worlds. For his sake, she needed to try and guide the dragon down the path he had chosen. She clutched her son to her chest as she began to sprint over the sand. The wind and pouring rain ripped at her. She had an idea what Haku had done and also why he had not finished what he had started. She would need collateral. She murmured a spell and felt the reassuring weight of the object she had summoned pull at the lining of a concealed pocket in her tunic.

When her feet left sand and began to run over the surface of the sea she thought little of it. The burden of being a rift guardian was no longer hers and for the first time in millennia she felt like her old self. She felt hope, even optimism. She could not see all paths anymore; there was just her and this moment and silence in her mind. Her thoughts were her own. She could either do her best to help or give up and perish. Nothing was certain and in its own way that was refreshing.

She was no one's goddess anymore, all she had to think about was her family and trying to save those who had been loyal to her. For once, just once, she hoped to save her tools rather than break them through hard use. The dragon needed guidance and she would provide it. She skidded to a halt on the water and felt the surface tension break. She sank, leaving the lashing red rain, pounding waves and screaming wind behind. She allowed herself to be pulled into the swirling depths below. As she sank the awesome power located below her almost overwhelmed her. She felt pity. The dragon would never be the same, just as she had changed when she had bonded to the rift.

Such power was nothing to envy. It was to look upon the face of fate and see as it did. The goddess remembered the experience vividly. She had never been so frightened. She had felt so insignificant even as she realised she was the most powerful being in creation. Nothing was more powerful than fate and she was its tool. In all honesty, being free of it was a blessing and she had no wish to return to it.

The pressure mounted and the water darkened as she sank, until she could see nothing. She cast no spell to chase away the darkness for the sake of her son. She would need all her strength. As the pressure increased, she felt discomfort but no pain. Her limbs were heavy and her head ached. Having a smaller body, her son was probably feeling less of the pressure than she was. He lay still and was no longer breathing but this did not concern her. They may be less powerful now but they were still spirit-kind and her son was in no danger being under fathoms of water.

Light began to creep back into the water, first an indistinct grey, then rapidly growing in intensity as she continued to sink. She struggled to tilt her head downwards to see where the light was coming from. If she had air to draw into her lungs she would have gasped. Instead, she gulped freezing cold seawater. She remained open-mouthed at the sight below her.

Haku had physical form, but it was not one she had seen him take before. Below her was a dragon of immense size and incomparable beauty. The long sinuous body was a on a par with some of the ancient reptilians that used to dominate the physical world. Every snow white scale glowed with raw power, the sight dazzled her. His mane was also white in colour, and moved slowly in the sluggish abyssal currents. His impossibly large body was wrapped in a loose coil, his head resting on his body, legs tucked beneath him. His nostrils flared, picking up her scent in the water. His eyes slid open. They were completely black and devoid of any emotion. It was as she had feared. He had become a being of pure power. There was no kindness or even recognition in his eyes.

The water compressed around her, holding her motionless above him. He was not allowing her to approach. She closed her eyes and focused. She was the former goddess of the rift. Her word still carried weight. She had to remind him of his intention when he took it upon himself to become the guardian of the newly forged world. Power was not an issue; she had to give him the will to remember.

Mentally she reached out to him.

"Haku?" she queried. Her contact was rebuffed with a firm mental push. He wanted nothing to do with her.

"Haku!" she said more firmly. "I've come to…" a wave of sound burst over her. It thundered and reverberated around her head. She would have screamed in fear if she were able. She was glad of the press of water around her; screaming would have seriously undermined her efforts to reach the dragon.

"Be gone small thing," a voice that sounded nothing like Haku shuddered through the water. "I am tired."

The goddess felt so indignant that she almost choked. How dare he? He was god of a world for a few hours and he already felt her beneath his company? She had never dealt so dismissively with those she had ruled over. A warm presence in the back of her mind reminded her that Kisho was listening to her seething thoughts. He would be frightened and the last thing he needed was to see his mother lose her temper because an arrogant god-thing had offended her.

"I will not go until you hear me out!" she said in her most commanding tone, glaring at the dispassionate black eyes that focused on her. "You can either kill me or listen. I'm dead in a few days anyway so you hastening the process makes little difference."

She felt the pressure lessen slightly and she began to sink again. When her feet touched the barren mud of the bottom she felt a small amount of relief. Ungracefully, she waddled through the water until she stood next to the gigantic dragon. She hoped this image of her never made it into one of the many legends that would spawn about this day. Being a humble supplicant was not sitting well with her. Yet she would do this; she would grovel in the mud if it meant an end to this madness.

"What do you want?" asked the dragon in a bored tone. "Speak quickly so I can sleep."

"Sleep?" asked the Goddess. "You just created a world; you have numerous responsibilities. You can sleep in a century or two when things calm down!" The black eyes slid closed and she was ignored.

"Nigihayami Kohakunushi!" The goddess demanded. "Do you plan on abandoning the world you created?"

His head shifted in her direction.

"I created it because I had no choice," he half growled. "I take no responsibility for what has been created. I am no caretaker." The Goddess hid a smirk. He sounded resentful, good, that meant she was making an impact. If her sketchy plan was going to work then she needed him to be feeling and reacting again. She had already lost a son this day; she would not lose a good and loyal friend as well.

"You had a choice!" she shot back. "You chose to take on this role rather than allow Kenshin's spell to do its work. You made the spell your own! Why?"

She felt the water shudder around her. His black eyes narrowed.

"I have no wish to remember that name. That life is nothing to me now!" he replied with venom. "As are you." His head reared back gracefully and his neck arched despite the crushing pressure of the water. His forked tongue darted out in irritation.

"I could kill you with a thought, leave, live what is left of your insignificant existence or die now with your spawn."

The Goddess threw propriety to the wind. Legends and reputation be damned she was GOING to get through his thick skull! She had intended to beg but knew instinctively on meeting him that her plan would not succeed, as she had no value in his eyes. She was glad she had a vindictive streak in her personality; she gave it free reign now and let the dragon get the full force of her mental tirade.

"You ignorant slow-witted lizard!" she bellowed at him with her best sneer on her face. "You are a fraction of my age! Just because you come into a bit of power you think I am insignificant?" His eyes widened in surprise at her sudden aggression. The Goddess knew she did not have time to consider her words and so continued to yell while he was off balance. "I have seen more than you ever will! I doubt you will even make it to be an era old with that attitude! You are tied to this world you moronic imbecile! If it fails and dies, so do you! It's just been born; it needs you and the first thing you complain about is a sore head and tiredness? You really are a brat!" The black eyes narrowed and teeth that were as big as she was were bared.

"Seriously, who raised you to be such an ignorant child?" she paused briefly for effect. "Oh yes, I remember! NO ONE! Not even your own mother wanted to raise you!" The growl that followed her words nearly burst her eardrums. She laughed, both from hysteria and fear as well as to goad him and stir his emotions. "Oh yes, I know all about you! The little dragonling whose powerful mother abandoned him. All you wanted was to gain her recognition and perhaps receive a kind word. But no! She left you and you turned to humans for company." She let a disgusted look flutter across her features. "We both know how well that went! You ate one that annoyed you, got a bad case of indigestion and sulked about it for a millennium!" Projecting all these thoughts at such a powerful being was beginning to tire her but she kept going. Judging by the continuous growls that were swirling and eddying the drifting mud at her feet he was beginning to get very angry. She could have tried to make him sad, or happy but in the end she knew anger was the easiest to provoke. Haku had always had a temper.

"Yes brat! I went there! It was one human, insignificant really. Yet you secluded yourself for over a thousand years. It was not guilt, you were lonely and disappointed those creatures you had taken a liking to refused to understand you! You gave up, just like you have now! What is the matter Haku? Is ruling the world too much responsibility? Do you feel unworthy of such a task? Or is it that you know you are incapable!"

"SILENCE!" he roared, unfolding his coils. The goddess dodged the muscular loops with difficulty but it did not deter her.

"I will not be silent!" she screamed back. She cast her best fire spell, burning white hot even in water and watched with a smug grin as the dragon was forced to dodge it. "I am not defenceless and you will listen to me because you need to hear what I have to say!"

She whipped up the soft mud from the bottom, clouding the water, hiding her from the angry dragon.

"You are giving up on your life because you are too weak to have the strength to live. This is all because you failed Chihiro!" The roar that echoed around her deafened her, but it did not matter, she shouted louder. "You could not protect your mate, you left her to die! Instead of living with your guilt, are you going to hide at the bottom of the ocean until you die of a broken heart? I am ashamed of you!" She felt the change, his boiling rage turned to icy calm and suddenly the water was so heavy she was pressed face down into the mud. She sent a silent apology to her son. His presence in her mind was frightened but he knew what she was trying to do. He trusted her and so clung to her in silence. She felt teeth on her back and she was lifted from the mud. Her courage almost failed her. She was in his mouth!

"Go on dragon!" she jeered. "Kill me and I'll take you with me! Existence will end and it will be all your fault! But that is what you want, isn't it? You don't have the courage to face what you have done! Is killing me and my son going to bring back your daughter?" She felt the jaws tighten. She gritted her own teeth. The irony of the situation struck her and a laugh bubbled through her mind. Who did a Goddess pray to when she needed divine intervention? She felt Kisho slip a hand under her tunic. He pulled out her last hope of getting through to the dragon. He was right, it was time to remind the beast of the humanity he once had and the human that had given it to him. She fumbled for the object and stuck her arm around his snout to place the object on his nose.

"If you are going to eat us then we don't want you to swallow this by accident! Don't want you to get another case of indigestion!"

She imagined the look on the dragon's face as he regarded the child's pink shoe she had placed on his nose. She knew it was the right one. She had transported it from Haku's house. He kept it in a box under his bed. For some reason she could not get the look of a cross-eyed dragon out of her mind. She laughed and realised she could do so easily. Her mind did not have to fight against the overpowering aura of the dragon.

Everything was silent. Had she won? Was he himself again? Such awesome power could easily burn away all of who he had been before; he may have even welcomed the change. She just hoped there was enough of him left to call out to.

"You are _Nigihayami Kohakunushi_ she said at last, and you loved a human so much that you were willing to live against your nature for her sake. You mated her knowing she would never be able to understand you or see any children you had reach maturity. You bound yourself to her, even though you knew there was only tragedy ahead for you. Are you truly willing to give up the possibility of getting her back?" The goddess closed her eyes and decided praying to herself would be as good a use of her time as any at that moment. He had to listen! He had to want to help!

"I.,. hurt…" he said at last in a voice much closer to the one she knew. "I don't want to hurt."

"Living is pain," she said at last. "But it can also be a wonderful. To experience the wonder you must have the pain."

"I want to die…" he said softly.

"Die later," snapped the goddess. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and grow a backbone. If she is not dead then there is still hope." The teeth lifted from her and suddenly she was sinking to the bottom again. The dragon looked down at her, desolation in his shining black eyes.

"I can't go on without her," he said in a whisper. The goddess tamped down on her irritation. She had stirred his emotions and he had gone from boiling anger through cold-blooded murder and now had sunk to despair. The pink shoe lay at her feet almost buried in the mud. She bent and picked it up. She considered her words. She was better at giving orders than comfort and perhaps that was something she would need to change or risk alienating another son.

"I have no answers for you Haku," she said at last. "I have no idea where she is or if or when she will come back." She cleaned off the shoe and handed it to her son who pocketed it. "But what I do know, is that she loves you more than her own life. She crossed half the spirit world to try and save you. Wherever she is, I know she will never give up until she is back by your side. Can't you do her the courtesy of waiting faithfully for her? She would do the same for you."

The reptilian head nodded, once. The Goddess felt relief flood through her.

"If that is the case my friend then she will need a world to return to," she pinned him with a sharp look. "Do you have the strength to finish what you started?"

Again, he nodded his massive head.

The goddess smiled at him.

"Then so be it," she whispered before she bowed low. "Let me be the first to pledge my loyalty and the loyalty of my family to you, Guardian of the rift."

The dragon gave what sounded quite close to a derisory snort and then altered space and time for the second time that fateful day. Sundering what had been briefly joined.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Haku groaned. He felt like he had been smashed over the back of the head repeatedly by a blunt instrument. Then he noticed that he was dry. Wind ruffled his hair and chilled his skin. He felt cold… and winced as he opened his eyes and light lanced through his pupils into the back of his tender head. Hissing he sat up, the world spun but it was still there, if a blur-filled version of it.

"Where am I?" he wondered.

"Mountain country, domain predominately populated by solitary snow leopard spirits and small clans of goat people," whispered a voice in his head.

"What?" Haku exclaimed, his eyes still refused to focus… but the inner voice continued.

"You are approximately three days flight from the bathhouse, a day extra from your home. The local goat spirits are currently having a dispute over territorial rights. Non-intervention will result in a brief but bloody civil war through which the tribes will be united under one leader. They will attempt to drive out the Leopards, resulting in decades of instability in this region. The local climate has stabilised of late and this winter is mild in comparison to what can be experienced. The food chain and ecosystem is stable and healthy. The moisture content of the air has…"

"ENOUGH!" Haku barked at the voice. He pressed a trembling hand to his forehead. "Where was all this information coming from?"

"You are the rift guardian," replied the voice. "All information is yours, you need only ask."

"Rift guardian?" Haku was confused. He had no idea how he had gotten here but he needed to get home. His river needed him; he could feel its presence in the back of his mind. It was in pain, not just from neglect but from something else… loss, it had lost something important.

"You are now the guardian of the space between worlds," the voice whispered in his mind. It was hard to define, it had no accent nor did he actually hear it. Its presence simply transferred information directly into his mind. It was instantaneous and seamless. Haku's vision began to clear but it did him little good. All he could see were jagged rocks and snow.

"Who are you?" he snapped at the presence in his mind.

"I am that which leads the willing and drags along the reluctant. I am the will of what has to be. I am the oldest and cruellest of all masters but the most tireless of servants."

"Riddles?" muttered Haku. "I hate riddles." The voice had no response to this; it clearly had no sense of humour either. "Just my luck to get stuck with a humourless entity lodged in my brain," he muttered grumpily.

"You will begin to experience discomfort if you do not clothe your body," the voice advised.

Haku laughed, realising he had nothing on and that he was sprawled on a sheet of glacial ice. It took only half a thought and he was swathed from head to toe in thick furs that would keep his vulnerable human-like body protected from the cold.

"We have much to do," said the voice. "The worlds are separate once more but there is much that has been damaged and disrupted. There are also many lost humans that need to be returned to their world." Haku stood and shook his head. None of this made sense. What was he doing on a mountain? Where had he been?

"It is natural to experience some disorientation," said the voice. "You have changed. Your memory will return when you have adjusted to your new state." Haku gritted his teeth and snarled.

"I am not going anywhere until you tell me exactly what is going on!"

"You need to focus on what I tell you to do," said the voice.

"Not happening!" spat the dragon.

There was a sound of applause. Haku turned to find the Goddess sitting on a rock nearby.

"My Lady!" gasped Haku and bowed. The goddess laughed delightedly.

"Don't let that bastard tell you what to do!" she enthused. "It always gets its way in the end but you do not have to be a slave to its whims."

Haku blinked. The Goddess was dressed in furs as he was, but something was different about her.

"You lack power," he said softly. "It's nearly all gone." True enough, the Goddess' normal aura of raw and terrible power was completely absent.

"She is rift guardian no more," said the voice. "She is no longer the instrument of fate."

"Instrument of fate," Haku echoed in a whisper. He was on the verge of discovering something, something he knew he was not going to like. His cowardly mind dodged the knowledge, refusing to cooperate at all with his appeals for answers.

The Goddesses violet eyes softened and she smiled at him sadly.

"I was confused at first too; I blindly followed that voice in my head for a month before I remembered who I was and what had happened to me." She moved forward and smoothed a gloved hand down his cheek; her face peering out from her white fur-lined hood. "I will not let you be taken advantage of in such a way." Her gloved hand moved to his hair and he realised it was longer than he usually wore it, as if he had allowed it to grow. The green ribbons now snaked around his shoulders. He could change it easily, but something stopped him. It was evidence that something had happened to him. "You are strong," murmured the goddess softly. "Stronger than I was. Fate will have its hands full keeping you in line." she smirked up at him. "Good." She said with a chuckle. She stepped back and sighed.

"I will tell you the short version of what has happened and that will hopefully get your brain moving in the direction you want it to."

He nodded mutely; glad for any chance to feel more in control of what was going on.

"You mated a human," she began.

"I did what?" he shrieked. "Why would I do that? They only live eighty years! Why would I tie myself to something so frail?" The goddess folded her arms and waited for him to calm.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking at the snow.

"It gets better," she said with a grin. "She became pregnant with your daughter." Stunned, Haku tried to find a place to sit down, finding nothing suitable he simply sat in the snow.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" asked the voice in his head. "There are many other things you could be doing right now."

"Shut up," Haku mentally growled and the voice lapsed into silence once more.

"You had angered the witch Yubaba," the goddess continued. "And she sought revenge. She woke a spirit of great age and power who also happened to be my first born son." Haku's eyes widened at that. "Hearing of you, living in blissful harmony with a human, my son decided it was time for the worlds to be reunited. He kidnaped you, as, with a human to protect, you were weakened. He used your power as fuel for his reunification spell." The goddess gave him a hard look but his mind was still hopelessly blank. "This was all prophesised many years ago, as was the quest your pregnant mate then undertook." The goddess glanced at the iron-grey sky. "She was twice cursed, she had to restore the worlds and free you… though she did not know that it was you that would ultimately fulfil the prophecy. She was the means but not the end." The goddess glanced back at him and he was shocked to see her eyes brimming with tears.

"She was so brave," she whispered, her lips wobbling. "So scared, but so determined. She gave up everything for you." The goddess dabbed at her eyes. "You were truly blessed to have the love of Chihiro Ogino." murmured the Goddess.

The name sent a bolt of recognition through his soul.

"Chihiro?" he murmured. A face flitted through his mind, rounded cheeks softer than satin framed by hair that would not sit still so she habitually tied it back. Soulful brown eyes that he could easily get lost in and full lips that had signed his name...

"That did it," muttered the goddess. "I guess names truly do have power."

Memories assaulted Haku's confused mind and he felt like he was drowning... Hot dry air, so thirsty… hours on his own… crushing guilt, worry and loneliness... power running from his body like sand in a timer, slowly and surely killing him… helplessness, and futile struggles against his bonds…. then freedom… but at such a price! She was in his arms, dying, blood draining from her. His mate and his daughter, sacrificed to save two worlds. She bound him with her final wish, knowing she was driving away her last hope. He left to fulfil a destiny he had not known awaited him. He forced the worlds together with his own power, becoming the master of everything.

He had forgotten pain, forgotten loss. That was until the woman before him had infuriated him and driven him to do what he had first intended, but had forgotten. He had ripped the worlds apart once more, using the almost limitless power he had been granted to repair the rift and separate the worlds until the time came that they would be ready to join once more. He could see that time, it was ages into the future, but it would come, if he could guide things in the direction fate intended. It was a worthy goal. No blood-stained birth, but a gradual understanding and then finally acceptance.

"Tantalising vision isn't it," said the goddess softly. "What could be if we all just grew up and got along," She smiled weakly. "It keeps you going even when you are called to be cruel or even violent."

Haku blinked, suddenly panic-stricken. He did not care about all that right now. Where was she? He reached out, his powers much more than they had ever been. Distance was not a concern for him anymore. There was nothing. He tried again. Still nothing. He calmed himself. If she were dead he would feel the crippling sorrow and the large gap in his mind that she had once filled. There was no connection, no familiar warmth; simply nothing, it was if he had never mated her. A cold chill swept down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather.

He ripped the glove off his left hand with his teeth. The skin was smooth and unmarked. The mating scar was gone.

He stared at his hand in disbelief for some time. That mark was the symbol of a sacred oath, one that not even death could sunder. It was inconceivable that it could be reversed.

"Fate is cruel," said the goddess. "Being its servant supersedes all other bonds and promises we have made in our former life." She gave him a sympathetic look "I had a mate when I ascended. We had to reaffirm the bond, once we decided that we wished to remain as mates." She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "You are not who you once were. You may find that you cannot take on the extra burden of a human mate."

Haku's eyes narrowed and he hissed in annoyance.

"She is no burden," he spat, and then his shoulders slumped. "Where is she?" he asked in a broken tone.

"I don't know," answered the goddess earnestly. "I looked, there was no body; she was gone."

"Gone," he murmured. "But where?" he asked.

"I wish I knew," replied the goddess, her eyes sad. For a moment Haku was at a loss, what did he do now? No mate meant even if she was dead he was not fated to follow her. He was free to live as he chose. Without his little one he was not sure he wanted to go on. She was his saviour and the reason he took even the slightest interest in the living world. He had lost his daughter too, before he even had a chance to see her draw breath.

"You have a reason to go on." Fate whispered in his mind. "Commit to it and you will not have time to dwell on what is beyond you."

"Do you know where she is?" he asked.

"Her path at this moment is no longer of either the human or spirit world. Her fate is her own," was the reply.

"But not dead," Haku breathed and his heart lifted a little. "Then I will wait until she finds her way back to me." He squared his shoulders and shook himself. "I have things to do." He gave a bow to the goddess.

"Thank you for your help my Lady," he said softly. "Without you I would have lost myself."

"Iduna," said the Lady softly. Haku lifted an eyebrow, not sure he had heard correctly. "My name," she clarified. "My oldest name, the one my mother gave me." She pinned him with a meaningful look. "I have no right to a title anymore and you should not lower your head to anyone." Haku smiled.

"I will always bow to you my Lady," he said softly. "I am indebted to you." The former goddess seemed speechless for a moment then finally she giggled.

"Get out of here you charmer!" she scolded. He smiled in response, straightened and vanished.

Iduna sighed. It was odd saying her name again. She felt a tug at her fur coat and looked down at the fur-smothered form of her son. He was getting very good at transportation spells and he seemed not to tire from the use of large amounts of power. She was truly worried at the speed of his development. Perhaps she should ask Haku what fate had in store for her second born but she doubted she would get a straight answer.

"Is your name really Iduna?" he asked, screwing up his chubby features into an expression of disgust. "That's silly!" He popped his fur clad thumb in his mouth then stuck out his tongue, spiting hairs. Perhaps she was worried about nothing, he was still a child, just a gifted one.

"Don't worry Mama," he said, beaming up at her. "It's all fixed now." Looking into his wide violet eyes the former goddess believed her son knew more than he was saying.

"Let's go home," she murmured and held her hands out to him. He jumped into her arms but she hesitated. "You used all your power getting here, didn't you Mama?" asked the child. She gave a rueful chuckle and blushed. It would take some time to get used to being a normal spirit again.

"I guess we walk," she glanced around the high plateau she stood on. She could not see a way down.

"Silly Mama," murmured her son. She felt the soft embrace of his magic wash over her and sighed. Somehow she knew he was not going to let her forget this for at least a century or two.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**3000 reviews? You people rock! MASSIVE thank you to you all, especially those of you who have been reading my work since the first few sketchy chapters of Courage.**

**I could put a few hints for the final chapter (the next one) here but… I am Velf and I am evil. You should know this by now.**

**BIG thank you to Chaoticcalm for her beta job I always enjoy her comments. Another BIG thank you to Daishar for the title idea, so much better than the original chapter title!**


	58. Resilience of the Soul

**Resilience of the Soul**

Scott sighed to himself. He leant over the balcony that was connected to his bedroom, inhaling the scent of flowers from the garden below. The spirit world was beautiful, there was no denying that. He was worried about going home. Many a legend he had grown up with warned of travel to the other realm. Human who went there normally sickened and died or vanished entirely. Having avoided both those Fates Scott wondered if he was to be cursed with another symptom of contact with the spirit world - being unable to leave. His Granny had told him one particular tale of a girl who had been walking the woods in the evening and had been stolen by the fair folk… literally spirited away. Scott chuckled to himself; the old bat had scared him stupid. The old stories had terrified him; most of them did not end well. This poor girl had been returned to the human world a year and a day later, pregnant and claiming she had been away for merely a few months. She had taken a husband but had angered him and he had exiled her. The poor girl gave birth to a halfling which her family insisted she leave in the woods for the father to collect. The girl herself pined for the beauties of the place she had left. She eventually refused all food and died.

Scott pulled a face. He had been away for months. Could he even go back? Would he be content to return to his family and former life? Magical influences aside, he desperately wanted to see his family, but feared returning to a life that had no direction. Life here in the spirit world was dangerous and difficult for an outsider to comprehend and of course humans were not well liked. However, this world he had come to was vast, complex and unpredictable and it was his to explore if he chose.

When he decided to aid Chihiro, it had never been his intention to stay long. He had felt pity for her, alone, knocked up and asking for his aid. Of all the people she could have called on she wanted him. He had been flattered in a way, despite feeling hurt and used. He wondered what her family thought of their daughter living in a different dimension. They would hardly be pleased; they had thought her mad for years. His own family did not even know where he really was. He felt guilty he was lying to them, he had been less than nice to everyone on his return from Japan. His family had never even teased him for being kicked out of the country he had longed since high school to study in. He had told his brother there had been a "girl" involved and ended the conversation. None of them had mentioned it again. He owed it to them to go back to the human world. He had even stolen an irreplaceable family heirloom and as that sword had merged with Chihiro's own he doubted he would get it back.

He hoped she was okay. It had been a bit of a nightmare for Rin to look after him and run her domain while he recovered. He had also been less than a model house guest, no doubt adding to her burdens. He had not totally been useless. Besides shaking up the hyper conservative nobility he had acted as Rin's accountant. Yes, taxes, income and expenditure even had to be calculated in the spirit world. Rin's home was not doing well, her bastard of a… he struggled for a word. What had he been? Not husband, no; she had been a concubine… The idea made him feel a little sick. The thought of Rin and… well… behaving like that… He shook his head. His thoughts were scrambled. He blamed the snowberry wine he had been drinking that evening. It was good stuff! He licked his lips and decided not to make any life changing decisions while a little tipsy.

Unfortunately Fate had other ideas.

He turned and realised he was not alone. Beside him was a man… Well, that was using the term loosely. The being was resting on the balcony as he was, observing the moonlit garden below. Scott schooled his features. Expecting the unexpected was now something he was used to and he knew that being too open with your emotions could get you rapidly into trouble in this world. He was surprised and wary but would not let it show. He coolly regarded his visitor, waiting for an introduction.

Rin's castle had more than just walls protecting it, also those evil lion spirits had returned from their homeland. Apparently they preferred their lives here, as long as they could visit their traditional hunting grounds when they felt the need. Scott would never want to piss those brutes off. There was an old saying back home "a cat's anger lasts seven years." Scott could well believe it looking at the golden haired spirits. Everything about then screamed predator and is gave him the jitters to be near them.

His visitor must be either welcome or powerful enough to get past the defences and the psycho twins who were utterly devoted to the woman who had freed them. Scott decided he liked the former scenario much more than the latter. His unannounced guest was almost as tall as he was. His hair was untidy and gleamed black and dark green in the moonlight. The hands on the balcony were delicate for a male, but Scott knew that meant nothing in this place. Was he assuming even too much to think the creature male? The clothes his guest wore were simple and unremarkable. Cotton tunic and slacks, bleached white. He could not see much of the face as the greenish hair covered it. It was at times like this that Scott felt out of his depth.

Spirits could sense many things about each other; approximate age, power (indicating social standing), health and wellbeing… Rin always knew when he was brooding about home and would do her best to improve his mood. He smiled in spite of himself. That woman would have everyone think she was a total ball breaker. He knew better. She was a big softie under all the armour.

His visitor made no move to speak and Scott decided that he either had to start a conversation or go with his instinct and run screaming for lion spirits to come and kill the scary thing.

"It's normally polite to introduce yourself," Scott said with a confidence he did not feel. "Especially if you appear unannounced in someone's room."

Scott's anxiety eased when he heard a chuckle from the man beside him. The stranger turned to face him. Scott had to clamp his jaw shut to stop himself gasping.

He had once asked Chihiro what her mate was like. They had had many conversations over the course of their journey but she had always avoided any mention of her mate. He guessed she was trying to spare his feelings. Scott had decided to point to the elephant in the room himself, or dragon in this case. He remembered vividly how her face had lit up and she gave him a dazzling smile.

"He's wonderful!" she bubbled and then bit her lip, realising who she was talking to. He had laughed and encouraged her to keep talking. He was not sure why, but he was curious about the creature who had stolen Chihiro's heart when she was just a child, dooming the chances of any human man who might try to win her in the future.

"Well, he has two forms… No, wait, three, and then there is the river… That took some getting used to. It also nearly killed me by accident; it did not realise that if humans don't breathe they die. All it wanted was to give me a hug." Scott remembered feeling a little lost, but she continued. "He is very powerful and acts like it." She smirked and a little chuckle escaped her. "He's much less arrogant than he used to be, perhaps because of me, but I would not like to assume it's entirely my doing." She smiled wistfully to herself then laughed. "I'm making him sound very unappealing!" she laughed. "He has his flaws, as do I…" She paused, ordering her thoughts "I suppose the best way to describe him is bright. Everything about him is bright, from his bright green eyes to his fiery temper."

Scott had made some factious comment about her being in the spirit world so long she could not give a straight answer to a simple question. "Everyone here talks in riddles!" he had moaned with a dramatic sigh. Linca had taken that moment to chime in.

"You want to know about dragon boy?" she said with a grin, skipping up to Scott and taking his arm. "Green eyes, pale as a ghost, greenish hair, not too well built, bit weedy for my tastes; I like a bit more meat on my men." Chihiro rolled her eyes but Linca ignored her. "Massive ego," continued the sprite. "Scary temper and he is putty in her hands." Chihiro had blushed prettily and was suddenly interested in the path they walked on. "It is truly sickening how devoted he is to her and it does not hurt that he is very easy on the eye." She grinned up at Scott, blue eyes dancing with mischief. "I would go so far as to say if you are into that type of guy he is drop dead gorgeous." Scott raised an eyebrow. High praise from such an "experienced" spirit. "Is that all you want to know?" she purred "Or does your manly pride need to be kicked more today?" She let go of his arm and giggled. "Seriously, why do this to yourself? Do you like punishment because if you are into that then I could certainly…"

"Enough!" snapped Rin, cutting the sprite off. "Leave the boy alone!" Scott had been offended at the time to be called a boy but knew enough of spirit kind by then to let the insult slide. Rin had probably been born when his family were building their castle.

There could be no doubt as to the identity of the creature beside him. The green eyes that regarded him with amusement were truly dazzling.

"Haku," Scott breathed. The dragon smirked and sharp white teeth peeped at him. He was worse than the lion spirits! How could Chihiro stand to be near this thing? Scott's every instinct told him this being was not only powerful, it was bloody dangerous.

"Love is blind," said the creature, confusing Scott. The dragon's voice was pitched low but carried easily. The creature held its head on one side and grinned wolfishly. "Forgive my sudden appearance and lack of proper manners. I am getting used to my new position and your thoughts were loud and unguarded. I sometimes forget that most cannot communicate mentally." Scott decided to leave that topic alone as he had no hope of understanding. He jumped to what was important instead.

"If you are free then Chihiro was successful?" he asked.

"Yes," came the neutral reply. The dragon's posture and demeanour gave away nothing. Scott thought that if he had just been set free from a long incarceration and the worlds had been saved then he would be a little more joyful.

"Then where is she?" he pressed. "And Linca?" He smiled and wondered what trouble the sprite might get into if she came back to the castle. She would no doubt approve of his efforts to lighten up the oppressive atmosphere in Rin's court. His face fell as the dragon answered his question with silence.

"Did…" Scott swallowed and tried again. "Did something happen?" The dragon's eyes flicked to the garden.

"They are not why I am here," he said curtly. "Your time here grows short." Scott blinked anger flared at the dragon's refusal to answer. He was not stupid however, he knew there must be more going on than he was aware of. He remained quiet and let the dragon explain.

"Your bond here was temporary," Haku said softly. "I would have attended to you earlier, but I have been busy; very busy." Haku sighed and rolled his shoulders. "I cannot explain much, but your time here is over. If you remain you will either have to stay permanently or risk your health." Scott moistened his lips. The dragon might not have said it directly, but it was clear he either had to stay forever or leave now. "You have served my mate well," continued the dragon. "I would be happy to bond you permanently but I sense you are not ready for that."

"I am not," said Scott truthfully. "I have family…" He trailed off and felt a lump rise in his throat.

"Can't I even say goodbye?" he asked softly.

"No time," replied the dragon, the green eyes seemed to hold genuine pity. "It's the solstice in your homeland. I was a little over-zealous when I re-created the rift. The boundary between the worlds is less fluid than is used to be. You've been here some time. If you had just arrived, returning you would be easy, but you have taken too much of the essence of this world within yourself for your return to be a simple matter." Scott decided he did not know enough about inter-dimensional travel to question the dragon's judgement in this matter. "You must go now or stay."

"Can I come back?" Scott asked, his heart sinking. "I would like to say my goodbyes properly." He pinned the dragon with a hard stare of his own. Human he may be but he would not simply do what he was told without some assurances. "I also need explanations; having me leave without knowing what happened to my friends is more than cruel."

"It is," admitted the dragon. "But necessary." The dragon opened his hand and presented the young human with a flawless amethyst. "Take this with you and look after it," he instructed. "If you decide you wish to return then smash this it on the next equinox." Scott took the gem and pocked it. "There is a catch," said the dragon tonelessly.

"Isn't there always?" sighed Scott. The dragon smirked but the smile was automatic and empty of emotion.

"If you return you will have to stay; you have been here longer than you should have already. If Rin had not been masking your symptoms with her power you would already be getting headaches." Scott's eyes widened. She had said nothing to him about any illness. Just how long had she been helping him? He had thought her tired from long days and little food and sleep...

"Are you ready?" asked the dragon. Scott shoved his hand in his other pocket and placed something wrapped in a handkerchief on the floor.

"I am now," he said with a sigh. The dragon nodded.

"We will speak again, son of Mulvey," he said and inclined his head. "I owe you for your service."

"I did not do it for you," Scott said softly. "I helped a friend in trouble, nothing more."

"There is still a debt between us," said Haku sternly, "and I will honour it even if you stay in the human world." Scott nodded and was gone.

Haku sighed and bent to pick up the token he had left for Rin. He did not need to look at it, he knew what would be left before the young man knew himself.

Haku relaxed the barrier he had erected around the room to hide his presence. The goddess had often vexed him with her ability to appear wherever she wished within the bathhouse and he would only hear of her visit later. Now he understood the value of such tactics. The boy may not have left so easily if Rin had been present. He let his aura flare, advertising his presence to everyone in the castle.

He would not be alone for long.

It was a comfort of sorts that he did not know everything. He knew that Rin's heart was warmed by the human boy's presence in her castle, but she was not ready to admit anything more. The boy himself was blind to this, just as Chihiro had been to his feelings towards her. Perhaps it was a human trait? He could not see the boy's future any more than he could Rin's. The knowledge Fate gave him was mainly of generalities. He knew that Rin would work hard for decades and eventually her home would be restored to its former glory. This would also destabilise the region as the power base would shift and workers would move to Rin's domain. He saw the shadow of bloodshed on his sister's future but more than that he could not define. If the boy returned there was no guarantee of a happily ever after for him and the spirit woman who would not admit she liked him. Not all love was predestined, not like his own had been.

"Perhaps we really were doomed from the start," he wondered brokenly. "She always joked that we were."

He could hear the commotion his presence had caused in the castle, but Rin was in control of her forces and belting out orders. They would not attack; yes, he was powerful and had technically infiltrated their defences but she assured them he posed no threat. Part of him wanted to remove all barriers on his power and give them all a true taste of what it was to have a deity call upon them. He laughed hollowly at himself. In another lifetime that would have been exactly what he would have done. He was different now and such things were pointless and more than a little immature.

Eventually all was quiet. The door to the room was opened softly and the lady of the domain walked through it.

Rin looked well, though his senses told him she was anxious and under immense pressure, most of it self-inflicted. Her deep brown eyes swept over him before briefly flicking around the room. He smirked despite himself. She was looking for her human. Her hands tightened to a white knuckled grip on the door frame.

"You are different…" she said at last. He nodded, accepting her words and her change in attitude towards him. It was to be expected. She entered the room and closed the door. She swallowed carefully, but he could tell her mind was racing. All he wanted to do was hug her. She had journeyed with Chihiro and helped her until her own tragic past stopped her from going onwards. She was all that was left of his family. He had lost his brave little owl sister and his mate and child were lost to him too. For a moment he felt intolerably lonely. It must have shown on his face as Rin dared to step closer. Even clad in a black silk kimono she still moved like a bathhouse Yunna, solid steps with little grace and refinement. She would learn again all she had forgotten. Soon she would be the most respected woman in this part of the spirit world. Being able to claim kinship with him would not harm her progress either, he thought ruefully.

Rin bit her lip and glanced at her feet.

"Sen?" she asked softly.

It was his turn to swallow. He was the Guardian of the Rift now, he could not afford to dissolve into weeping no matter how he felt.

"Lost," he said at last in a tight voice. "We must wait for her return." She looked up at him and gave him a searching look.

"Linca?" she whispered.

"She saved Chihiro," he whispered back, his voice faltering over the name. It felt like he was tearing his heart to shreds simply saying it. "She gave her life…"

Rin slowly closed her eyes, her shoulders slumped and she exhaled evenly. She drew on the inner strength that had been instilled into her in her former life as a court ornament.

"You could have told me sooner," she murmured. "It's been nearly a month since the sky turned red and the clouds boiled. I've been so worried…" Her words were mild enough but her reprimand cut through Fate's nagging prompting in his head that he should already be elsewhere. He shoved the entity to one side and ignored it. This was more important. Rin opened her eyes and they were wet with tears she refused to shed.

"I sent scouts. They found nothing, not even the fortress that maniac lived in… I thought you all dead!" She was shouting now and he let her, he deserved it. He should have come to her sooner; he deserved her anger. The punch to the jaw that followed was a little unnecessary, but it made Rin feel better. She stood before him, hands on hips and glaring. They could have been back in the bathhouse…

"What gave you the right to send Scott away?" she snapped. "That is not your responsibility!"

"It is," he replied simply, massaging his jaw. Another entity interrupted his thoughts. This time it was his other self, the watery part of him. It had been wailing at him to come back since he ascended. He had given it all the energy it needed to repair the damage done by separation. What else could it possibly want? He had told it many times he was far too busy for lazing around in the water like he used to. Still, the infernal thing insisted he needed to return. He supposed he would have to spend a day with it soon or it may start making trouble just to get his attention. He pushed its call away again and focused on the angry spirit woman.

"I was waiting for the Lady to come and speak to him!" she protested. "She could have extended the bonding!"

"He needed to go home," Haku replied in a gentle tone. He reached out and cupped her hand in his own then dropped the token the human had left her into it. "Family is precious," he said as he curled her fingers over the gift. "You should know that better than most." Rin sneered and snatched her hand away.

"I'm your family and yet you have left me to worry about you until now!" she growled. "That is not how you treat…" He interrupted her tirade before she said something she regretted. He simply laid a finger over her lips then let the barriers he put around himself slip. He felt something akin to grief as her eyes widened in wonder and fear.

"I have been busy," he said at last, containing his power so she would feel less intimidated. "Forgive me for not seeking you sooner," he murmured apologetically. "I have literally not had a single moment to spare until now. I would not be here at all if the human had not needed returning." Rin staggered back from him, clutching her gift to her chest.

"How?" she managed to splutter.

"I made the worlds one, then tore them apart," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was getting annoyingly long. He could shorten it with a thought but somehow could not bring himself to do it. "I did not realise the consequences of my actions until it was too late to go back."

He expected bowing and scraping. That was what normally happened when he revealed who he was to people. He certainly did not expect a rib cracking hug. He found his resolve nearly left him. He wanted to hug her hard and sob into her hair. He settled for lightly resting his hands on her back. It was enough, he decided. She did not hate or truly fear him. He was not alone. Fate's patience was thin, however, and he felt momentarily as if his gut was being ripped out. He winced and "politely" told it to go away. That was low, even for the cold and calculating entity.

He let go of Rin and apologised. He had to go. There were humans dying while he held her. There were so many of them trapped even he was unable to save them all. He had recruited some powerful help; well, more like ordered those with the power and ability to ease as much human suffering as they could. The Sallow-Hale was a killer, but not a fast one. He had three weeks for each individual. That time was rapidly coming to an end; without either intervention or being sent back the humans would die. He did not want to think how many had simply vanished before they even suffered the Sallow-Hale, victims of dimensional eccentricities that their bodies had never been designed to cope with. Their particles would literally start to fall apart until they were nothing but a puddle of salty water.

"25,674 humans met that fate in the first two hours of their arrival in this world," Fate supplied unhelpfully.

"Shut up!" Haku snarled at it and with a thought he was gone.

Rin looked dismally at the space Haku had been standing. The tears came, splattering onto the mats on the floor. She cried with noisy sobs filled with her grief. They were all gone; her sisters… one dead, the other missing; her brother, they were never close… too alike, she supposed. Now he was further away from her than ever. Elevated to such a level that she should not even consider him kin. She had seen his pain and could not ignore it, now she shared it.

Scott was gone too. The days would be duller, that was certain. She opened her hand and looked at the gift he had left. She laughed through her tears. It was his camping knife. Many blades contained in a shiny red sheath with a white cross on it. She had admired it during the journey. It was so useful! There was a blade for every purpose that you could possibly wish to use one for and it was all contained in the same utensil.

He had teased her about liking a lowly human invention, but let her use it when she asked. Of all the things he could have left… She was not sure if he thought she would like to have it or if he was subtly teasing her.

She guessed she would never know.

Rin said a quick prayer to the sky; substituting the words "goddess" and "lady" felt almost blasphemous to her but she supposed she would get used to it.

"Be safe, brother," she murmured. "And remember you are not alone."

Far away, the god of the spirit world heard her prayer and smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

A week later Haku stood on the black beach below his home. He could not bear to go inside the building he had shared with Chihiro; too many memories to haunt him. The appeals of his river had finally brought him here. It had been an interesting process to witness. His elemental self had become more strident and forceful in its demands for his presence. Fate had responded in kind. It got to the stage where Haku felt like a bystander in his own mind as Fate and his river argued about where his physical body should be. He thought perhaps the entire conflict had lasted over a day.

Somehow his river had come out the victor. Fate was not to contact him or give him orders for an entire day or his river would start draining his energy and he would be useless to Fate. There was an agreement that if there was some sort of catastrophe the deal was off, but other than that his river had him all to itself.

It occurred to Haku that he should be complaining bitterly about such treatment. He was his own person and should not be letting these beings squabble over him. In reality he knew he had given up the right to complain when he reconstructed the barrier. His thoughts were heavy with the lives he had been unable to save. Close to half a million humans. They were calling them the "vanished" in the human world. A few with connections to the spirit world knew what had happened but other than that, the human world was baffled and frightened. Fate had said that it would take decades for their scientists to ascertain what had really happened. Out of the Vanished incident a whole new concept of dimensional understanding would be born. In a few centuries human kind would begin to actually discover the existence of the world parallel to their own where creatures that were considered myth lived.

The human race would then come full circle. They would slowly re-establish contact with the spirit world and the creatures their ancestors once revered would again show them the wonders of their world. Millennia from now, there would be one world and coexistence. It was the vision the goddess had worked towards throughout her tenure as the rift guardian and now that distant vision of the future sustained Haku.

A loud complaint interrupted his thoughts. His river was disgruntled with his lack of attention. What was the point of him being here if all he could think about was Fate? Haku threw his head back and roared with laughter. His river sounded like a jealous mistress. Its mood grew truly enraged at his amusement and its dark waves crashed against the black shore, soaking him to the skin. Haku shook himself, his hair sticking all over his face in kelp like ribbons. He sighed and tension he had not realised he felt eased. It was divine to be drenched in the water of his river. He had missed it keenly. The river cooed with pleasure at his response and trilled that it had someone who wished to see him hiding in its depths.

Haku winced. He was supposed to be taking a day to relax and was not in the mood for visitors. The river overrode his objections. This spirit had waited to speak to him patiently and had performed great services for him. It would be churlish to deny the petition to see him. Haku agreed, curiosity piqued. The waters calmed and smoothed back to a glassy subterranean lake that was never touched by the wind. Haku basked in the calming green glow from the bioluminescent plants that grew on the cavern walls. Ripples broke the black glass surface of the lake. An equine head rose through the surface.

Haku's face broke into a grin. This visitor was more than welcome. Lowly water horse he may be, but the nygel was practically family. The creature did not seem to relish meeting him. Shoulders and back were heaved from the water with reluctance. The nygel was not even projecting its normal glamour charm to make it seem more appealing. For a creature of mischief this was tantamount to forgetting to breathe. Haku beckoned the creature forward.

"Have no fear, friend," said Haku, his tone warm. The nygel remained standing in the shallows, his hooves sinking in the soft black sand. He eyed Haku wearily then bent his forelegs. The nygel clumsily knelt before the dragon. Haku checked his barriers. No, he should appear no more powerful than he normally would. The nygel should not be aware of his change in status.

"Master," the horse nickered. "I come before you to beg for forgiveness." Haku was taken aback but sensed the spirit was genuinely penitent. The dragon almost called on Fate to ask what the nygel thought he needed to forgive. He scolded himself for being already reliant on the most recent voice in his head.

"I allowed Mistress Chihiro to be captured," the nygel whinnied. "I was trapped and she was forced to surrender as a condition of my release and aid for Mistress Linca." He snorted in distress and his eyes rolled in fear. Haku felt a little ill. Had he really been such a tyrant that a noble creature who had served him to the best of its ability feared the consequences of what had clearly been beyond its control?

"I failed them…" the water horse breathed to the wet sand. Haku was about to tell the creature that there was nothing to forgive, but it continued. "As soon as I was released I followed mistress to the fortress of the enemy. I am not a creature that can cope well in the desert and my progress was slow. When I got to the fortress it was already destroyed and the glass desert had become a lake."

Haku tried to not let any emotion show. A lake founded on a mother's bitter tears of grief was more of a monument than that creature they had opposed deserved.

"But I did find something…" the nygel added in a whisper. "I give it to you now and can only hope it puts right what I allowed to go wrong." The nygel dipped his snout into the water and pulled a tiny leather bag from the water. Clearly the river had been protecting whatever it contained. The nygel shuffled forward, refusing to rise. He lay the bag reverently at Haku's feet.

"This is not nes-" Haku began.

"Please," the nygel murmured, interrupting him. "Do not comfort me. I know I could have done more to protect my mistress. I will not rest until I can ask for forgiveness from her own lips." Haku swallowed thickly and bent to retrieve the bag. His hands shook slightly as he untied the sodden draw strings. At first the bag appeared empty. He peered into the depths and his focus sharpened. Then he saw them. Three hairs were crumpled in the bottom of the bag. Haku's eyes widened. The significance was not lost on him.

"I found them trapped under a rock," the waterhorse whispered. "I knew they were hers by the scent. I took them, not wanting to leave any part of her in that cursed place. I now give them to you."

Haku drew the bag to his chest. His heart hammered. Hair… Not as good as blood but not an issue when you happened to be the most powerful creature in the spirit world… Since the mating bond had been erased, Haku had no connection to Chihiro any more. Her tac'tal had also been destroyed; an item he had deliberately given her so he could track her no matter which world she was in. All ties between them were now severed. With what was in his hand he had a way of finding her. It would take preparation and plenty of power but he would at least be able to get a glimpse of her, no matter how far she had strayed from him.

The nygel had not given him merely hair, the waterhorse had given him hope and he had no idea how to thank it.

"Bring her back to us," the horse said in response to the dragon's incredulous gaze. "Find her and bring her home."

Haku nodded. If it was within his power, it would be done. He would need advice. Scrying was something he had almost no knowledge of.

"I can help," Fate murmured, slinking into his mind. Haku ignored it. Any help he got would come with conditions and he would be dancing the steps it dictated again. No, he knew where he could get advice without conditions, as well as a cup of tea and a slice of cake. He could not actually remember eating at all since he created the rift.

He watched the waterhorse dejectedly shuffle into the water. He told his river to ensure the spirit had everything it could possibly want. The water smugly told him that he needed to listen to it more often. Haku smiled. It actually felt good to be nagged by his river again.

XXXXXXXXX

Zeniba put the last plate out on the table. He would be hungry, she was sure. She had been keeping a close watch on the dragon ever since he created the new rift. The poor child had been running around the spirit world like a headless chicken for months. Now he had slowed down enough to actually think about the loss of his mate rather than run away from the pain, he was coming to her.

She had always been good with foresight. Yubaba cast stronger and more destructive spells; Zeniba had always favoured subtlety. She pulled a large cream cake from her pantry and put the kettle on the stove. It was her sister's stove from the bathhouse. She had decided to liberate a few souvenirs of her time there. Mika was now running the place and making a fine job of it.

She expected to hear a rush of wind and the front door rattle on its hinges. She nearly had a heart attack when she turned to find the dragon helping himself to a large piece of cake. He looked up at her and grinned.

"I don't think I've ever heard you shriek before," he said with a chuckle. Then his attention was back on the cake. He finished a slice in three large bites and reached for another. Zeniba regained her composure and sat opposite him. She watched him carefully. His eyes were still haunted and his face was thinner. He seemed more cheerful than she had expected. She guessed time and the knowledge his mate was not as lost as he originally thought had done much to heal the wounds she knew he carried. She sighed and poured the tea. She pushed a china cup towards him. Pomegranate and white tea, her favourite blend. He poured the steaming cupful down his throat and replaced the cup on the saucer for it to be refilled. Zeniba chuckled. She should have offered water rather than her most highly prized tea blend.

"When did you last eat a meal?" she enquired softly.

"Does prison food count?" he asked, starting on his third slice of cake. Zeniba's eyes widened. She stood and bustled around the kitchen. Soon a pan of rice was bubbling on the hob and fish was steaming next to it. Haku groaned at the smell and wiped cream from his lips. The cake was gone.

"I know why you are here," said Zeniba as she placed a plate of cookies on the table for him to devour while the meal cooked. "I have a request before I help you." He took a gulp of tea and nodded, green eyes suddenly warily.

"I want to see you once a week for the next six months," she said firmly. "Rift guardian you may now be, but if you keep pushing yourself even your body will begin to suffer." He put his head on one side.

"You're worried about me?" he asked softly.

"Of course I am!" she almost snapped. "Even Gods need someone to worry about them."

"I will do my best to fulfil your request," he said seriously. She nodded then paused, thinking of something else.

"I mean all of you!" she demanded. "No splitting your consciousness between forms so you can be in two places at once. I will be able to tell the difference!"

He laughed and rested his hand over her ancient gnarled ones on the table.

"Thank you for worrying about me," he said gently. "It is pleasant that you are treating me no differently." She nodded then sat back, freeing her hands from his touch. She may not treat him differently, but she could still feel the power in him. It was intimidating; she was witch enough to admit it. She held out her hand. She did not need to ask, he immediately placed a small leather bag in her hand. She nodded and served him the meal she had prepared while her mind mulled over the best way to use Chihiro's hair. It was not that fresh, so she could do less with it than she would like. Still, a few added extras and she should be able to boost the connection enough to make a visual connection. Once that was established, the dragon should be able to do the rest.

She pulled a chipped mixing bowl from the table and filled it with water from the stream outside. She handed the dragon a pouch of powdered obsidian, asking him to charge it. He did so in-between lifting chopsticks to his mouth. Zeniba sprinkled the powder onto the water and then rested the precious hair on the surface.

"Is that it?" Haku asked. Zeniba nodded.

"It's a simple spell," she murmured. "I can guide your power but you will be performing the scry. Once the link is made and you see her you must trace the connection to the source." She gave him a hard look. "You will not have long," she warned him. He nodded and wiped his mouth again and pushed the empty dishes to one side. He placed his hands on the chipped bowl, almost cradling it. Zeniba did not see what he saw but he inhaled sharply and his hands trembled on the bowl. He simply stared at the water for precious seconds. Zeniba frowned and let her power flare. It was enough of a mental slap for him to remember what he was supposed to be doing. He tore his eyes from the bowl and bit his lip. She knew he had located Chihiro when his body stiffened and he swore under his breath. She felt the connection snap. The hair had been consumed and there was nothing left to focus the spell on.

Zeniba waited patiently and let the dragon stare at the bowl.

"That explains a lot," he said at last. Zeniba raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

"She's back in the human world," he said softly. "No wonder I could find no trace of her." He scratched the back of his head absently and cocked his head to the side as if listening to something she could not hear.

"Linca," he said at last. "She used her life energy to save Chihiro but she also tore a rift to send her where she thought she would be safe." He shook his head as if trying to deny this new knowledge.

"She was a land spirit, she should not have had the power for that even with her life force given," he muttered, clearly puzzled.

"She loved Chihiro," sighed Zeniba. "You know yourself that such emotions can drive a spirit or human well beyond their natural abilities."

Haku smiled at her wistfully.

"Perhaps you are right," he murmured then stood.

"Well, I know what I must do now," he said confidently. "Wait."

"Solstice is not that far away," said Zeniba softly. "You could always send a message rather than going yourself if you do not wish to wait." Haku shook his head.

"I have to go in person," he said emphatically. "We are no longer mates and she still does not remember."

"A scar on your hand is not indication of your connection to each other," Zeniba said kindly. "The bond is still there, it's been there since she was a child. Fate itself pushed you together; I am sure it is in its own best interests to see you reunited."

"You really are an old romantic," the dragon chuckled. He bowed politely and murmured his thanks for the food. When he straightened there was a mirror in his hands. He gave it to her, glass facing the floor. She took it.

"What is this for?" she asked. There was no power that she could sense in the mirror; it was not a magical object. Silence answered her. Haku had gone. She frowned and turned the mirror over. She shrieked for the second time that day and the mirror crashed to the floor shattering. The shriek was shrill and girlish this time. She held her hands up; they were smooth skinned, with elegantly tapered fingers and perfectly manicured nails. Blond waves of hair were falling in her face.

The curse she had endured for so long was lifted. Zeniba was restored.

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Chihiro sighed as she looked out of the window. It was starting to rain again. Her mind was pleasantly empty as she watched the clouds roll in. She did not want to think, it made her focus on what she had lost.

She ran a hand over her stomach absently. The roundness of her abdomen was becoming quite pronounced. The doctors were a little worried about her, the foetus was developing much more slowly than they would expect. She had been put on a strict diet to provide as much nutrition as possible for the child and herself. They may not have told her directly but they were concerned about her too. She could not blame them. Like so many of "the returned" she was frequently confused and there were yawning gaps in her memory.

She was lucky, she guessed. Many of those who had winked out of existence, only to come back, knew nothing of their time away. Some of the ones who came back were in very poor health both mentally and physically and would take years to rehabilitate. Chihiro was one of the most severely affected mentally, having almost total memory loss, but she had coped remarkably well. She also was one of the few that had some idea about where she had been, though she kept that information to herself.

Who would have believed her if she spoke the truth? Her earliest memory was her face being wiped clean of blood and a dark haired man with sad eyes telling her that she had been sick and he was her grandfather. Her gut twisted and she shushed the child in her belly. It did not seem to like her thinking about Kenshin. Then of course there was Linca and the man she had freed… Haku. She blinked, annoyed at herself for dwelling yet again on things she could not change.

Haku had obviously done what she needed him to, or the human world would not now be separate from the spirit world. She grieved for that. She found the human world difficult to be in. The sounds and smells seemed too harsh. The sunlight was too bright and the nights too dark. If she could have remembered where she was from she might have felt better. The doctors had told her she spoke Japanese so it was probable she was from that country. They were making enquiries on her behalf but the world was in chaos. So many were missing or out of place. One pregnant girl with amnesia was not a priority. She knew she had parents, Kenshin had mentioned them, but she could not recall either their names or faces. It was frustrating. She did not like living off charity when there was a family out there who were no doubt worried about her. A nurse bustled into her room, a happy string of babble coming from her lips in greeting. Chihiro had picked up some spoken Korean, but the language was difficult for her. For some reason her mind seemed to expect to be able to understand everyone. It was still jarring to her to listen to words that held no meaning for her. She smiled warmly at the woman and inclined her head in greeting.

The nurse took her temperature and blood pressure then left, but not before leaving some clean clothes, a subtle reminder that Chihiro had not gone out for a walk today. Exercise was also part of her recovery. She frowned at the clouds and sighed. She was going to get wet. She glanced at her reflection in the window and frowned again. She was not used to the change in her appearance either. Her face was the same, but her skin was paler than it had ever been. The doctors had thought her severely anaemic at first. Multiple tests later and they still could not discover why she was so pale. She had also not told them that her eyes had changed colour. They had once been a rich brown. Kenshin had complemented her on them on numerous occasions. Now, they had deepened in colour and in the right light looked almost maroon. She wondered what else had changed in her that she was not aware of. _"You will be different now,"_ Linca's weak voice ran across her thoughts.

Was this what the sprite had meant? She sighed and stood. She did not want to think about that now. It had taken weeks for her to work her way out of the mire of guilt the spirit's death had plunged her into. The woman had sacrificed herself for Chihiro. Living with that had been more than difficult. Almost as difficult as not thinking about a dragon spirit with green eyes every five minutes of her existence. They were both in the past; the barrier was restored. Linca was dead and Haku, no matter what he had been to her, was now lost to her. They would never have the chance to become the friends he had promised they would be. She knew he had hoped for much more than that. She had believed him when he had said he loved her.

He had not had time to tell her much of their life together; saving the worlds had taken up most of their attention. It was a nice story, however; meeting over a lost shoe then meeting when she was older, then again when she was all grown up. It was almost as if their connection had been predestined, though she thought that idea idiotic. It was more like some sort of oddball fairy tale. She had devoured romantic sagas when she lived in Kenshin's fortress. His library had been extensive and she had been bored. He had been surprised she still had the ability to read. He had thought her "illness" would have made her forget she knew how. If a poet or playwright got hold of their story… With some significant tweaking it would no doubt become a sweeping romantic epic.

"The ending would certainly be changed," she muttered to herself as she dressed. "This one is awful." She may have a head full of holes but she was a realist. Their story was to remain unfinished. They would not meet again.

"_Will we meet again?"_ her own voice, much younger in tone, flitted across her mind.

"_I'm sure we will,"_ replied Haku's voice also sounding more youthful.

Her head swam and throbbed. She hated when the memories bubbled to the surface, they nearly always concerned Haku and they did not make just her head hurt. Her broken heart would make its presence felt. She bore the sadness and loss stoically. Linca had died so she might live, she would not waste her life mourning for what could now never be. She had a child who would need her when she was born. She needed to be strong enough to not only care for her but make sure she was happy. They would only have each other in this chaotic and frightening world but they would adapt.

She pulled on her socks with difficulty. Her stomach really was starting to make bending difficult. She stood, back murmuring a protest and she shuffled from her room on the ward. She was a "guest" of the South Korean government. Like many of the returned she was to be studied. She did not mind. The tests were not invasive and she had a place to stay. She wondered towards the back of the hospital, greeting staff and patients in her broken Korean. She hated the language, her tongue simply refused to form the words she wanted it to. Her efforts were appreciated, however, and she was rapidly becoming a favourite among the nurses and doctors. The rain had not started as she had feared, in fact the sky seemed to be clearing.

The hospital gardens were actually quite large and well maintained. Miniature stands of bamboo surrounded pools of still water, full of water lilies in full bloom. The lawns were a verdant green and neatly trimmed. She often had the urge to take her shoes off and feel the cool and spiky surface beneath her feet. Something in her rebelled at the idea; shoes must be worn outside and taken off on entering a building. She could not have her hosts thinking she had no manners!

She crunched over some gravel planted with purple succulents then walked to the edge of one of the pools. The water was almost obscured by plant life. She sighed, feeling her mood lift as she sat down beside the pool. It was spring and the day was warm but not hot. She rubbed her stomach absently and watched fluffy grey clouds scud across the sky. Her life was peaceful at least. She may not be entirely content but she and her child were safe.

"It will have to be enough," she murmured at the sky.

A shadow fell over her causing her to look up. With the sun behind the person standing before her, she could only make out his silhouette.

"What if you received a better offer?" asked the shadow.

Her eyes widened and for a moment she could not breathe. Her heart swelled to what she was sure was a dangerous size and pounded in her chest as if it feared it would fail to beat any moment. She knew that voice. She would remember it until the day she died. Questions buzzed around her head, one of the most urgent appeared to be 'how?' She asked none of them. She ignored her clamouring mind; it was hardly reliable anyway.

A slow smile spread over her face and for a moment she thought she would burst into tears. She was pleased she did not, though her lip wobbled. She should have had more faith. What was an inter-dimensional barrier to someone like him? Of course he would see her again.

"Haku," she whispered at last, his name almost a benediction on her lips.

He slowly crouched before her and she could see his face as the sun's position shifted behind him. He really was breath-taking, even in the human world. His eyes were almost the same shade as the grass she sat on and his hair gleamed black under the bright sun. She frowned; there was no green sheen to it. She cast her eyes down over his body and burst out laughing.

A smile bloomed on his lips.

"Do I appear so out of place?" he asked with a chuckle in his voice. She nodded and tried to stifle her giggles. The blue jeans and brown hooded jacket looked completely alien on him. She also preferred his greenish hair; the black was much less interesting. It was still him even if he was diluted down for human consumption and she was overjoyed to see him.

"You came to get me," she said her smile slipping. She had a decision to make and knew this moment and should be taken seriously. His attitude mirrored hers and he sat across from her, gracefully folding his legs.

"I still don't remember you," she admitted. The words came out more bitter than she intended. She guessed she had a right to be.

"I know," came the reply. His expression was intense but he did not seem saddened by this. Perhaps he did not understand.

"I mean, I don't remember loving you… at all." She struggled, she needed to be honest but it was hard to put what she felt into words. She could not make this decision based on a life she did not remember. "I know we were together and that you loved me very much… But I don't…" She trailed off unable to admit the true extent of her emotions. She found him attractive and he was the father of their child, but she could not love someone she had no memory of.

She felt the loss of him in her life like a yawning gap in her heart, but she could not simply push the person before her into that hole and hope he would fit. She was different and she suspected he was too. She could not let him think that if she went back with him that they would be what they once were. She may never feel again the way she did before Kenshin had taken her memory.

"I think you misunderstand my intentions, little one," he said at last. She blinked. So he was not here to whisk her away into the sunset to live happily ever after… She felt some of the tension leave her. "I will ask for no more than you are willing to give," he said with a reassuring smile.

His hand cupped her cheek and she allowed the contact. He tilted her head slightly and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Linca left her mark," he murmured. "I was hoping as much, no doubt it was her intention also." She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to explain. His hand left her face and squeezed her hand where it rested on her knee.

"Linca's gift to you was more than life," he whispered. His fingers left hers and she almost told him to put his hand back. It felt good to have his soothing touch on her skin. "She gave you more than you needed to heal," he explained. "She gave you time."

"_You will be different…"_

"Am I still human?" Chihiro asked, realising at last what the sprite had meant.

"Yes," he replied. "But also part spirit. You are still yourself but you will live a few centuries longer and you may even gain a basic magical ability if you train hard…"

Chihiro's attention drifted from his words momentarily. Linca had given her a longer lifespan? Her heart felt crushed under the weight of such a gift. How would she live when she now had a life she was never meant to live? Could she have the courage to live so long? Could a human endure without going completely insane? Such a gift could be a curse. She felt her eyes swim with tears. She would just have to be certain she used the gift given. She would live and make Linca proud.

"Don't cry, little one," murmured Haku. A pad of a thumb gently wiped over her eyes. "Linca loved you dearly. She would not want her gift to be a burden to you." Chihiro nodded, knowing he was right. She sniffed and forced a smile.

"You said you had a better offer?" she said with forced brightness. He gave her a flat look, obviously not fooled for a moment. He sighed and humoured her.

"I think I do," he said evenly. "You don't belong here; you belong with me and your family."

"I have family here," she said quickly. "I just don't remember them either," she muttered guiltily.

"I have little influence here," he said, drawing her attention back to him. "In the other world I am much more…" He held his head on one side and gave her a penetrating look. "I can help you remember, not just by telling you of our time together, but I may be able to restore most of what you have lost."

"I would have to go with you to do that?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I won't lie to you; if you wish your memory to be fully restored you will have to bond yourself to me again. I can then reconstruct what has been taken through that connection." His lips pulled up into a smile. "That's my best offer but I am willing to negotiate."

"You're a terrible businessman," she countered with a grin. "You are supposed to give your worst offer first then haggle upwards."

"That's probably because I am not a _ma__n_," he reminded her with a chuckle. "Besides, what is the point in haggling when you have every intention of getting exactly what you want?"

"Arrogant lizard!" she snapped and clapped a hand over mouth, mortified. She had just insulted him! After he had come all this way just to speak to her! She blushed scarlet and bowed low, spluttering an apology. Where had that insult even come from?

She was pulled into a firm hug.

"I have missed you so much," he mumbled into her hair. Chihiro closed her eyes and let him hold her. She let the feeling of familiarity wash over her. She hoped she could remember what he was to her and to do that she would need to be in his world. She would never come here again, part of her understood that now. The human world would be the price she paid for her memories. She pulled back from him and composed herself. She fussed with her maternity top and saw him eyeing her stomach.

"I will not force you to bond with me," he said at last. "That choice is for you to make. If you wish to live without your past then we will have to ensure we fill your head with lots of new memories." She realised he was referring to their child. She moistened her lips. If she did not go with him would that mean he would not see his own daughter?

He held out his hand, silently asking her to take it. Another memory fizzed to the surface of her mind. She once let go of that hand and returned to her world. Now he was asking for her back. She looked from the offered hand to his face.

"_I will get you back, no matter how far you stray from me…"_ Had he really said that to her? His gaze faltered and his fingers trembled slightly. For all his aura of confidence she suddenly saw how nervous he was. He had no guarantee of her consent and if she stayed he would lose both her and his child. Yet he was leaving the decision with her. She was sure he could make her go with him if he wished, but he was not. He wanted her willing or not at all.

"Come with me, Chihiro," he said at last. "Not because I love you or because you feel it would make me happy…" His words trailed off and he closed his beautiful eyes for a moment. "I only want you to take my hand if you believe you can trust me." His eyes opened and she caught her breath. He really was beautiful. "Everything else is secondary… If you trust me then come with me and everything else will fall into place in its own time."

Time… She had plenty of it now.

Her hand slipped into his and his grip tightened as if he never wanted to let go.

The nurses from the hospital noticed Chihiro was missing an hour later. A search was launched but one missing woman was not much of a concern when so many had gone missing. She was an interesting statistic, nothing more. It was later theorised that she had been mentally unstable and had either run away or killed herself. She was identified some years later and her medical records from Japan did indeed show a history of mental ill-health. In fact she had been sectioned in the past and had escaped confinement. The hospital was satisfied they had done all they could for her under the circumstances.

The hospital received a substantial anonymous donation a few days after Patient 8392 disappeared. The money came with the condition that a new wing was to be built on the hospital and specialise in the treatment of those who had been "returned." The new building was to be called Linca's Wing. The instructions were carried out. The fact no one knew who the new section of the hospital was named after did not hamper it. Linca's Wing quickly became an international centre of excellence, despite the colony of owls that insisted on nesting in the roof space every spring. The patients seemed to enjoy listening to them calling at night. Some swore they heard a woman's voice comforting them when they felt at their most distressed. Some even said the mysterious Linca was actually the guardian spirit of the hospital.

Whatever the truth, the staff never could fathom who left them gifts every spring. Each member would find in their locker a package covered in white paper. Each package contained a slab of finest Belgian chocolate and a bottle of Russian vodka.

No one made the connection that the date the gifts were given every year was the same date Patient 8392 disappeared.

**The End**

**A/N**

_What can I say people?_

_Thank you, I guess..?_

_I never, ever anticipated when I started this how well read these stories would be and how many friends I would make across the globe because of them._

_To every person who reviewed I can only say I am truly humbled you read my work, even more so that the majority of you like what you read._

_This story has consumed years of my life… eight in fact. Courage of the Spirit was started in 04! 450,000 words for all three stories combined, give or take a few thousand. (Indebted is bigger but that is a different beast altogether.)_

_So many people have supported me along the way but I need to say very special thanks to…_

_Dimac, who got me into fanfiction back in the day and who has been an excellent beta reader. She is also my best friend and deserves so much more than just thanks._

_Massive thank you to Daishar, who created my first fanart and who has evolved into a fantastic artist. She is also now one of my oldest and dearest online friends. She has even created fanart for this chapter. The link is on my profile. _

_To anyone who has created fanart for me I can only grovel at your feet. I feel unworthy of your attention and yet love it! Your pictures kept me pressing my laptop's keys._

_Also thanks to my husband for putting up with the hours I spend on the laptop and for nagging me to keep up my oddball hobby when I'm threatening to chuck it all in. He is a very understanding man!_

_Shout out to the French translation team too. You guys ROCK! I never thought I would be read let alone translated! Love you Ori! _

_I have changed much over the course of writing these stories and looking back at Courage it is almost as if it was written by someone else._

_I've taken the plunge and stated a novel. Wish me luck with it._

_This is the end of me writing about spirited away. I may write a one shot epilogue at some point but for the foreseeable future my Haku and my Chihiro's story ends here. They have become almost family to me over the past few years and letting go of them is proving difficult._

_Now I have demonstrated I am completely mental I shall say goodbye. Keep an eye on my profile. If I ever publish anything I will post a link to it there (highly unlikely but I like to be optimistic.)_

_Again, I can only say thank you. You changed my life people and made me believe that even a dyslexic can write. I believe in my ability because of you._

_Watch this space… I hope I prove to be worthy of your praise and encouragement._

_Velf…_


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